After a search party by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and fellow students, Luwaca was finally found yesterday without any harm. 

Police spokesperson, Motantsi Makhele, says the 22-year-old was spotted by a community member while walking in the vicinity of Grey College and immediately informed her family who in turn alerted the search team.

Luwaca was found walking in Jock Meiring Street in Universitas, Bloemfontein. 

Makhele says Luwaca was then reunited with her parents without any harm or complaints. 

Luwaca’s disappearance came amidst an outcry against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the country, with South Africans calling on the government to do more to protect women and children.

Following the death of an 8-month-old pregnant 28-year-old, Tshegofatso Pule, who was found stabbed to death and hanged on a tree in Roodepoort, social media users across all walks of life expressed their disappointment at the justice system and made a desperate call for the government to do more.

Free State Provincial Police Commissioner, Baile Motswenyane, has meanwhile expressed her gratitude towards SAPS members and all members of the community who assisted in the search party and located her before incurring any harm.

"We are grateful that our team managed to locate her before anything could happen to her. We are in a time where women and children need all protection we can provide to them as the police. Hence, we were so concerned about her disappearance. We would also like to urge women of her age to at least inform their next of kin on their movements, because as the police when we receive any news of a missing person, especially women and children, we immediately establish a multi-disciplinary team in order to find the person alive” said Motswenyane.

Makhele in a statement says Luwaca will be interviewed by the investigator in charge of the case to shed more light on the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.

OFM News