Missing Children South Africa was established in March 2007, in response to the kidnapping and murders of Sheldean Human, aged seven, from Pretoria, and Anestacia Wiese, aged twelve, from Mitchell’s Plain. We were built so that no family would have to face that alone.
One responds to the emergency in front of us. The other works to reduce how often that emergency happens at all.
MCSA runs a national helpline for incident reports. Callers are advised on the immediate steps to take: get to a police station, complete the SAPS 55(A), secure a case number.
Once a case is verified, we activate a vast national social and media network to distribute the missing person's flyer as widely and as quickly as possible.
We run educational initiatives in schools and early childhood development centres across the country, covering abduction, human trafficking and kidnapping in age-appropriate terms.
Our ECD colouring and story books put safety tips into the hands of children too young to read a pamphlet, often in rural areas that receive no other safety education at all.
In 2007, two cases shook South Africa. Sheldean Human, seven years old, was taken from Pretoria. Anestacia Wiese, twelve years old, was taken from Mitchell’s Plain. Both were murdered.
In the aftermath it became painfully clear that families in that situation had almost nowhere to turn for practical, immediate help, and that the hours lost to confusion in the first day were the hours that mattered most.
Missing Children South Africa was formed to close that gap: to sit between a frightened family and an overstretched police service, and to make sure the right things happen in the right order, straight away.
MCSA has never charged a family for assistance and never will. We are funded entirely by donations, sponsorships and corporate partnerships.
Missing Children South Africa is established in response to the Sheldean Human and Anestacia Wiese cases.
A single emergency number is set up, answered around the clock, so families always have one place to start.
MCSA builds a national social and media network capable of putting a verified flyer in front of hundreds of thousands of people within hours.
Safety education expands into schools and early childhood development centres, with material written for children as young as pre-school.
Focused on growing and sustaining the organisation, continuing to support families, and working on our first gender-based violence story book, to be released soon.
Registered Non-Profit Organisation in terms of South African law.
An approved Public Benefit Organisation (PBO 930 034 181), so all donations are tax deductible under Section 18A.
MCSA holds a Level One B-BBEE procurement recognition.
It takes a village. Give what you can, share what you see, and teach the children in your life what to do.
