Missing Toddler | Neglect case postponed as Omphile Sithole still missing

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]Let's bring in SABC News reporter Katlego Nyoni who's been following proceedings in court for us and joins us live. Katlego, a very good afternoon to you. Of course, this is one of those stories and cases that has really gripped the nation. Give us a sense then of what transpired in court today. I would imagine also that a large crowd would have attended this particular case, too.

[00:00:25]Good afternoon there, Unathi, and to our viewers as well. Yes, there was quite a sizable number of people from the Hammanskraal area. This is in back and back that really came to support the family of the child, Mpumelelo Sithole, that has since gone missing. Well, Unathi, today we expecting to get more of a clarification, sort of a detailed and granular report in terms of as part of the investigations, in terms of some of the reasons why the state is opposing bail. We know that the grandparents for young Mpumelelo Sithole were then arrested almost 2 weeks at Hammanskraal Village. They were initially taken in Unathi for questioning. However, police then then effected an arrest, and the two were eventually then charged with child neglect. That is the charge that they are faced with. So, in their first appearance, the matter was then postponed because there were outstanding statements from a forensic analyst who was then in charge of the specific window that the grandmother said was rather left open. And then also the owner of an early childhood development center where young Mpumelelo was then taken care of at the daycare center. We know from their first appearance that it emerged in court that the state the allegation of child neglect, according to the police, this is something that started in January up until the 2nd of May when she was last seen. We know that Mpumelelo's mother, Nompumelelo Sithole, indicated that she then decided to let her child live with her grandparents in December. So, according to the state then they alleged child neglect started then in January up until now. So, it has certainly then been postponed to the 27th, which is then the day where they are going to officially apply for bail, Unathi.

[00:02:15]Uh you talk about a sizable number of people that have gathered in a court or outside of it. Katlego, just give us a sense then in terms of what are community members saying particularly fundamentally as these two appear in court?

[00:02:33]The community at large, just like the country at large, Unathi, are really worried. They are hoping for positive for a positive outcome in the search for Umpile Sithole. We know that when she disappeared, the story really gripped the nation as it is a 2-year-old child, a a young girl who is is who is innocent and then is currently unaccounted for and those investigations to try and look for her are ongoing. Police mentioned that they are in still investigating kidnapping as well as housebreaking because remember on that day there was a window that was discovered to have been opened. So, the community at large have expressed their concerns. We've seen them all over across social media platforms really saying that, you know, police need to find this young girl and last week SABC News also spoke to Nomvimbi Sithole who said that she regrets the decision she made to take her child to then stay at Bakkenberg in Limpopo, Unathi.

[00:03:33]All right, Katlego, thank you so much for that. Katlego Nyoni just giving us an update in terms of what transpired then in court today.

[00:03:57]>> Mhm.