Africa-Press – Eswatini. A 17-year-old girl from Ezulwini Gelekeceni has allegedly disappeared with E20 000 belonging to her aunt’s two local stokvel groups. The disappearance of the teenager has sparked concern within the community.
The incident comes at a time when families are preparing for the festive season, a period during which stokvel contributions are often critical to households’ year-end spending.
The girl, who recently finished her Eswatini General Certificate of Secondary Education (EGCSE) examinations at a local high school in Ezulwini, is said to have left home on Friday evening.
According to community members, she was last seen at Ka Mchosa, a popular local bar, wearing grey sweatpants and black sneakers.
Eyewitnesses report that she was in the company of a 35-year-old kombi conductor who is well-known in the Ezulwini area.
The girl resides with her maternal aunt, as her parents are reportedly not present in her life. The aunt, who was still shaken during the interview, has been managing contributions for two stokvel groups in Lobamba.
She said that each group has been collecting approximately E1,200 per month since January 2025, with one payout expected next week and the other at the end of November.
The aunt estimates that the girl left with between E15,000 and E20,000, representing the consolidated contributions.
“I was preparing for the next payout, and I realised the money was missing. I don’t want to rush into reporting her missing because I still hope she will come back and explain herself.
I also want her to return the money before any further steps are taken,” said the aunt.
While the aunt has not yet approached the authorities regarding her niece’s disappearance, Deputy Chief Information and Communications Officer Assistant Inspector Nosipho Mnguni urged the family to formally open a missing person case.
She also advised that a separate investigation be opened regarding the missing funds, noting the importance of adhering to the SODV Act, which prohibits sexual relationships with individuals under 18 who cannot legally consent.
“The police encourage families to report both missing persons and suspected financial misconduct immediately. This ensures that investigations can be conducted appropriately and that the rights of all parties involved are protected,” said Mnguni.
Efforts to reach the kombi conductor for comment yielded a denial of any involvement with the girl. Speaking at a nearby car wash, the conductor said he was at the wrong place and seemingly at the wrong time.
“I did not spend time with her on Friday or Saturday, and I was not involved in any wrongdoing. We happened to be in the same area, but nothing more,” said the conductor.
Meanwhile, community members who frequent Ka Mchoza bar also provided statements regarding the incident. The bar’s management said they did not sell alcohol to the girl, acknowledging her presence at the venue but stressing that she was not served alcoholic beverages.
“We cannot confirm any transactions with her here. She was around, but we do not serve alcohol to minors,” a staff member stated.
Locals who reportedly saw the girl described her as appearing relaxed, though they said she was in a small group of peers who are not well-regarded in the community.
“She was just hanging out, laughing with friends, but we were surprised because we knew she had exams and commitments,” one community member said.
Another added, it was unusual for someone her age to be out at a bar at that hour, and people were talking about her being with the kombi driver.
The incident has sparked broader concern among residents, particularly because of the amount of money involved and the girl’s age.
Some community members went as far as to suggest that the kombi conductor might have strategically familiarised himself with the girl, intending to steal the stokvel money using her.
“This is a messy situation. We need to get to the bottom of this because the girl could be dead right now. There is also a lot of money involved here, Kumatima Mbamba,” said a senior community member.
Worth noting, stokvels are an important financial safety net for many families in the area, and the loss of contributions threatens both immediate household planning and trust within the community.
“People work hard to contribute to these groups, and losing money like this can be very damaging. We hope the girl comes back and that the situation is resolved quickly,” said a Lobamba resident who asked not to be named.
The aunt expressed her distress at the turn of events but emphasised that she is still hopeful.
“I raised her like my own child, and I know that teenagers can make mistakes. I am giving her the chance to come home and account for herself. I want her to understand the seriousness of what she has done without escalating matters unnecessarily,” she said.
Police have reiterated the importance of involving authorities in situations involving minors, both to safeguard the welfare of the child and to ensure that financial misconduct is properly investigated.
Inspector Mnguni also highlighted that the SODV Act serves as a protective measure, noting that any relationship between the girl and the kombi conductor would be illegal due to her inability to consent.
The police have advised residents to report any sightings of the girl and to provide information discreetly to prevent complicating the investigation.
“Even small details, such as the colour of clothing or the location of last sighting, can help in locating a missing minor and recovering lost property,” Inspector Mnguni said.
Several community members confirmed seeing the girl in grey sweats and black sneakers during the evening, though reports vary regarding whether she was drinking or in possession of the stokvel money.
“She looked casual, like any teenager would dress, but we know now that the money was missing. We can only hope she comes back and clarifies what happened,” one witness said.
As of publication, the girl remains unaccounted for, and the stokvel funds have not been recovered. The aunt continues to weigh her options, balancing concern for the girl’s welfare with the need to safeguard community resources.
Our sister publication Eswatini Sunday recently reported that a Manzini stokvel chairperson is in trouble for improperly loaning out E40,000 from the group’s savings.
The stokvel, which began during Covid-19 was left reeling from the mismanagement of funds. Last week, a South African daily newspaper published that Zandile Nkwanyana was looking forward to a nice Christmas after saving about R10 000 through her stokvel.
But her neighbour allegedly stole all her money and left her with nothing.
Stokvels in Eswatini are largely part of the informal economy and there is generally no government interference or regulation on how they are managed.
According to research, the lack of formal regulation means that if a member runs away with funds or mismanages money, the recourse for other members is primarily defined by the stokvel’s own internal rules and potentially by reporting the theft to the police.
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