A mother of two children is seeking help to be reunited with her children.
Thulisa Peter, from DD Section in Town Two, is heartbroken after being unable to get in touch with the father of her two children since September last year.
The 35-year-old mother said she had an agreement with the 39-year-old father to take the children, Ayama (5) and Zukhanye Peter (4), to Gqeberha in Eastern Cape after he had been transferred from his work.
According to Peter she was to be reunited with her children in December when she went for holidays.
She told City Vision she was only able to get hold of the father in the first week of October.
Since then Peter has been unable to reach him on his phone and on Facebook.
In tears, she said she had left messages on his Facebook account, called numerous times and asked his cousin about his whereabout and children without any success.
“We have been seeing one another for five years while staying together in this area,” Peter said. “Things started to go sour after my second child was born and he lost work in that period,” said Peter, clutching a photograph of her children with their father.
“We had our fights and as a result we ended up breaking up. So we had to be co-parents to our children, and I allowed him to see or have them because he is their father and loved our children.”
Peter said her children’s father eventually found employment again, and later told her he was being transferred to his home province.
“We fought so badly in between, and he wanted us to work things out but I was no longer interested.
“So I agreed he take his children to Port Elizabeth [Gqeberha]. But one day he came with police to demand their birth certificates. I refused because I was not giving him my children for good.
“I had agreed with him to take the children, only to be reunited with them in December, that was the agreement. But three months have passed and I have not had access to my children until now.”
The inconsolable mother said the situation made her feel as if she is not a “reliable parent”, “throwing” her children away.
“Bendingabalahli, kwaye ndingamphi abantwana bam (I was not abandoning or giving my children away).
“He has made me feel like a parent who doesn’t care about my children. I would not have given away just like that, as I still have parents in East London who would look after my children if I couldn’t care for them.”
Peter said all she wanted was to be reunited with her children and did not even want to think any negative thoughts about what could happen to them.
The father is originally from Motherwell, Soweto in Gqeberha, according to Peter.
WO Joseph Swartbooi said a missing person’s inquiry was registered with Brackenfell police on Thursday 13 January.
He said the investigation is currently being conducted by Khayelitsha Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit.
“The investigating officer is pursuing all available leads,” Swartbooi said. “Anyone with information are urged to call the investigating officer, Detective Sgt Solomzi Ngunda on 082 301 8553 or, alternatively, call Crime Stop on 08600 10111.”