Alarming stats: SA provinces with the highest number of missing children cases
Recent provincial data highlights the alarming number of missing children cases in South Africa, with some provinces…
Data gathered over a three-month period in late 2024 has shed light on the alarming number of children reported missing in South Africa, as well as the provinces most affected.
Missing children in SA: The latest stats
Between October and December, 188 missing children cases were logged, according to Cape Town Etc. Of those, 102 children have been safely located, while 86 remain unaccounted for.
The Western Cape emerged as the hardest-hit province, recording 56 missing child reports during that time. While 40 of those children were found, 16 are still missing.
Next up was the Free State with 42 cases, with 39 of those missing kids being located.
Gauteng reported 38 missing children, with, shockingly, only six found, leaving 32 still unaccounted for. This was the highest number of unresolved cases in any province.
KwaZulu-Natal then followed with 19 children, five found, still leaving 14 unaccounted for.
The North West revealed that 15 kids were reported missing, with only three found and 12 still unaccounted for.
Mpumalanga had nine missing kids cases, with eight being found, and just one still missing.
The Eastern Cape reported seven missing kids, and not one of them has since been found.
In Limpopo, two children were reported missing, with one found and one still unaccounted for.
The Northern Cape had no reported cases during this period.