Limpopo police continue their search for the missing toddler Omphile Sethole, who disappeared from her home more than ten days ago. The two-year-old was taken in the early hours of Saturday, 2 May 2026, from Ga-Mabuela Village near Mapela outside Mokopane.
Family members and neighbours searched the area immediately but found no trace of the child. Police have opened cases of housebreaking and kidnapping and describe the investigation as active.
Limpopo Police Report No New Leads in Search for Missing Toddler Omphile Sethole
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba confirmed there are currently no new leads in the disappearance of the missing toddler Omphile Sethole. Officers nevertheless continue a large-scale search operation launched from Tinmyne police station.
The child’s 52-year-old grandmother woke at about 2am on 2 May to use the bathroom and took Omphile with her before returning to bed. When she woke again at around 6am, the toddler was gone and a window in the room stood open. At the time, Omphile wore a pink jersey and black tights.
Family Recalls Suspicious Vehicle Before Abduction
The child’s father, 26-year-old Khutso Bradley Mabuela, told IOL News he rushed back from Johannesburg after hearing about the incident. He described the family as traumatised and said the abduction feels unprecedented in their quiet community.
Mabuela added that residents noticed a suspicious vehicle driving slowly through their yard the day before the disappearance. “We don’t know what it was looking for, but it was moving slowly near our yard,” he said. The family believes the abduction may have been planned. They describe Omphile as a bubbly, sociable little girl who attends creche and is not afraid of strangers.
Police Urge Public to Stop Sharing Misinformation
Limpopo Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe expressed concern over false reports circulating on social media that claim the missing toddler Omphile Sethole has been found deceased. “This information is untrue, and the baby girl has not been found. The search for the missing toddler is ongoing,” Hadebe stated.
Police stress that spreading unverified claims causes unnecessary distress to the family and hinders the investigation. They ask the public to report only credible information.
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