The Ivory Park Police Station is at the centre of the investigation into the missing child case. Picture Credit: Facebook
By Aisha Zardad
Gauteng– A routine school holiday visit has turned into an international missing‑child investigation after a mother alleged the child’s father refused to return their daughter — prompting intervention from the South African Police Service and Interpol.
The mother, Noluthando Mkhaliphi, shared a video on social media that quickly gained attention, claiming her five‑year‑old daughter was not brought back after a holiday visit with her father. According to Mkhaliphi, the father collected the child on 17 December 2025 but failed to return her before the new school term, instead saying they were in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In the video, Mkhaliphi expressed frustration with the local police response, alleging that Ivory Park Police Station delayed opening a case of parental abduction. “I just want to talk about how Ivory Park Police Station is failing me,” she said.
The SAPS Gauteng Provincial Management acknowledged the matter and confirmed an investigation is underway. Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the complainant first reported the dispute on 5 January 2026, and the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit registered an inquiry after establishing a longstanding holiday arrangement between the parents.
Initially, the father communicated by phone, indicating he planned to return the child before schools reopened on 14 January. However, new information on 8 January suggested the pair had travelled abroad, leading police to upgrade the inquiry to a kidnapping case.
The FCS unit is now liaising with Interpol to locate both the father and the child, and the complainant is being kept informed of developments as the cross‑border search continues.
