Kwanele Khumalo
THE father of Awakhiwe Ackim Ncube, the Nkayi boy who was kidnapped five years ago while playing with other children at his grandparents’ homestead, blames himself for the abduction of his son and believes his child could not have been snatched had he been around.
Takson Ncube was imprisoned in 2015 for slaughtering his boss’s cow and selling the meat. His then wife Nobekezelo Maseko, left him soon after he was jailed and left Awakhiwe in the care of his grandparents, Ncube’s parents.
“Officials came to me while I was in prison and asked me my details and Awakhiwe’s documents as I was the one who kept them at home. When I asked them why they wanted the details I then learnt that my son was missing.
“I believe that being in prison and my wife’s leaving might have contributed to Awakhiwe being kidnapped as my parents were too old to keep up with my children and could not stop them from wandering,” said Ncube.
Ncube was released from prison in 2017.
“When I came home, I was told that my wife had left and was now married to another man, at the same time my son had been abducted. It was a double loss to me,” said Ncube.
Ncube tried to search for his son, but he found a family and community that had given up after looking for Awakhiwe for more than a year without success. News that his son is in Kenya has revived hopes that he will be re-united with him soon.
“I also tried and soon gave up but now if the follow-up on the matter is being done, I have hope again,” said Ncube.
