East London authorities and a private investigator put a social media post for the missing Surette Malherbe as she disappeared from her hometown after traveling for a usual work trip. Two days after the initial post, her family confirmed that the local police had safely found Surette Malherbe.
On October 14, 2024, Surette Malherbe went missing early in the morning while driving on the N6 from East London to Komani. Her husband last heard her at about 8 A.M. after sending her a WhatsApp message about her work.
Moreover, the 48-year-old was on a work trip through Queenstown, and her employer confirmed that she had traveled the way frequently over the nine years she had worked for the company. Malherbe mentioned that she would be home in the evening after completing her work.
Additionally, after she sent her final message, someone switched off her phone, making it difficult to ascertain her location. A private investigator group, Brad Nathanson Investigations, posted Malherbe’s case on Facebook, revealing her pictures and car number for public knowledge.
According to the post, Malherbe was driving a maroon/red colored Mazda 3 JCD967EC with roof racks. The group urged the viewers to share the post and call the page’s number or the Cambridge SAPS circulation number if they had any information about the woman.
Further, the post received over 8.8k shares and 405 comments, bringing the East London community together to bring Malherbe back to her family.
Surette Malherbe’s family refused to provide a public statement amidst her missing case!
As the authorities initiated the search process, Malherbe’s family and her employer suspected that she had been a victim of a car accident or a kidnapping.
Moreover, one of the company’s employees, Nathanson, claimed, “She’s never missed a day of work; her son had just returned from overseas; it’s too early to tell what happened. This is the same area where Hilton Wicks was kidnapped a year and a half ago.” This fueled speculation about the missing case.
In addition, among several comments about Malherbe, one user suggested that the local oil company had been conducting illegal activities in the area to drive away tourists. Further, rumors arose that such actions helped to conduct fracking.
MISSING!!! Between East London and Queenstown
— 🔞 SA911 (@Zulu72944051488) October 14, 2024
PLEASE readers. A woman, SURETTE MALHERBE (48), who was travelling alone from East London to Queenstown, is missing as of this morning at around 08h10. pic.twitter.com/THFbCjTG5k
However, many people contradicted such theories, claiming that a woman’s life was in danger and that authorities should focus on finding her rather than engaging in unnecessary speculations. Others prayed for the well-being of Malherbe and urged female drivers to install a dashcam in their vehicles.
Fortunately, on October 15, 2024, the private investigation page informed its followers that authorities had found Malherbe safely in her vehicle near the Chalumna River. The SAPS immediately escorted her to the Kiwane resort, reuniting her with her family.
Additionally, the admin requested that the users respect the family’s privacy during difficult times. Due to excessive messages, Malherbe’s son, Luke, wrote, “Mom is safe but needs space and time to recover and heal. We appreciate everybody’s support. Thank you. This is a personal matter that we are dealing with as a family.“
Moreover, many of the Facebook users claimed that the family was lucky Melherbe returned home safely without life-threatening injuries. Further, their faith in the search team and constant online efforts helped bring Melherbe home.
Additional Information
- If you or someone you know is experiencing a similar situation, you can contact the Missing People Helpline at 116000, which is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- In the UK, almost 170,000 people go missing every year, including nearly 97,000 adults and nearly 70,000 children. According to the statistics, children are at a higher risk of violent crimes.
