The family of Clinton Blaauw is desperately looking for a clue as to his whereabouts – this after he has been missing since Friday 24 May.
Clinton (21) resides with his sister Henelie Boer, on Luthango Street in Smutsville. She says that he left for work at 8am on the morning of his disappearance, excited about starting his new job at Greeffs Butchery in Sedgefield.
Later in the day, when one of his work colleagues popped round to find him, Henelie discovered that he hadn’t arrived at the butchery. He didn’t come home that night, either, but she believed he had gone to stay with a friend in Smutsville, as he was inclined to do, so she didn’t think anything was wrong.
“He has many friends in Smutsville, and he likes to spend time with them,” she told us.
But as days passed and more and more of his friends came around to the house, looking for Clinton, she realised that no-one had seen him since the 24th.
She reported the matter to SAPS and, with the assistance of other family members, started searching for the young man.
Eventually, a neighbour came forward and told them that she had met with Clinton at the ‘hiking spot’ on the Knysna side of Sedgefield on the day of his disappearance. She said that he had told her he was waiting for ‘work transport’ – which the family thought strange as he was supposed to be working in Sedgefield. Later the same day a relative bumped into him outside ‘Brito’s’ near the Knysna Taxi Rank, and another saw him in Checkers about an hour later – in both instances he told them that he was ‘waiting for his boss’.
The last sighting of him that they know of was at about 9pm, when he was seen walking alone along the road between Knysna Hospital and KwikSpar. They have not seen or heard of him since.
“He does not have a phone,” explained Vemesia Galant, his cousin, “Though the neighbour who saw him at the hiking spot said she thought she saw him talking on one – we have no idea whose it was or what the number is.”
Asked whether he might be visiting someone in Knysna she was very doubtful.
“He hasn’t got any friends there,” she said, “He always stays in Smutsville – either at home or with his friends. If he goes into Knysna it is always just for the day.”
She also said that nobody in the family had any idea who he was referring to as his ‘boss’.
The family is hoping that if the word spreads someone will come forward with information. “If anyone has seen him or heard where he is, please call me on 084 4123 636 or the police.”
SAPS Knysna can be contacted on 044 302 6687. The investigating officer of the case is Warrant Officer Peterson 074 041 2721.
