Search for missing nurse Londiwe Pretty Mnyandu intensifies

THE search continues for missing nurse, Londiwe Pretty Mnyandu, who disappeared nearly 10 days ago after leaving her workplace in Bellville. 

According to police, 30-year-old Mnyandu, was last seen on May 31. She was on her way to a man in Samora Machel who was apparently known to her. 

“Information reveals that Londiwe left her place of employment on Saturday with a colleague on her way to Samora Machel to visit a male known to her. She has since not yet returned to her place of employment in Bellville. At the time of her disappearance she was seen wearing a nurse's uniform,” police spokesperson, Joseph Swartbooi said.  

Her disappearance comes weeks after the murder of 30-year-old Olorato Mongale who was last seen leaving her home in Athol, Johannesburg.

The postgraduate student at the University of the Witwatersrand, had gone on a date with a man she had recently met.

Between Alexandra and Lombardy West in Johannesburg, Olorato was allegedly murdered and her body dumped, police said.

By deadline on Monday, the provincial health department did not confirm if Mnyandu was under their employ.

Ilitha Labantu, a non-profit organisation for violence against women and children, said they were increasingly alarmed by the growing number of women who go missing under suspicious and often violent circumstances. 

“It has now been several days since Londiwe went missing and the delayed or insufficient response we too often see in such cases is unacceptable. These patterns of institutional failure only deepen the trauma experienced by families and communities. We urge anyone with information to come forward and assist in the search for Londiwe. Her family deserves answers, and the public deserves assurance that the safety and dignity of women are being taken seriously.

“This case comes shortly after the brutal murder of Olorato Mongale and reinforces what we already know: women in South Africa are not safe. While we must avoid speculation, Londiwe’s disappearance must not be treated as routine or dismissed as isolated. It reflects the broader crisis of gender-based violence and impunity that defines daily life for millions of women.

"South Africa currently ranks 7th in the world for kidnappings, with over 16 000 cases reported annually. An estimated 85% of these victims are women and children. These figures reflect a grim reality that South Africa remains a deeply unsafe place for far too many,” said Ilitha Labantu spokesperson, Siyabulela Monakali.  

Cape Times