Family, police plead for help in finding missing woman

The distraught family of a young woman who went missing in Port Alfred about three weeks ago have pleaded for anyone who may have seen her in the past three weeks to contact them.

Noluthando Jepe, 25, went missing on Saturday July 19. Her family reported her missing two days later, on July 21, South African Police Service spokesperson Captain Marius McCarthy said.
McCarthy today confirmed that SAPS Nemato detectives are seeking the community’s assistance in tracing Jepe, who went missing on 19 July 2025.

“It is alleged that on abovementioned date Noluthando Jepe (25) was last seen getting into a white car with no further description of the car,” McCarthy said. “It is further alleged that she was on her way to a tavern in Nemato.”

Enquiries had been made with family and friends where she frequently visited, and the tavern, but she could not be traced.
“She was subsequently reported missing on 21 July 2025.”

At the time of her disappearance, THando, as her family and friends know her, was wearing a black hoodie top and black pants.
The family spoke to Talk of the Town about some of the circumstances around Thando’s disappearance. She’d been staying at the home of a friend at the time. It was when she was no longer active on her mobile phone and they couldn’t get hold of her that they’d reported her missing.

“She’s a single-minded person,” said her sister, Bongekile Jepe.
Bongekile described how she and other family members had rushed to Kenton-on-Sea after hearing that someone had seen her at Horseplay informal settlement.

‘We searched everywhere,” Bongekile said. “In all the taverns, on the borders of the settlement, but we couldn’t find anyone who said they had seen her.”

The police are appealing to anyone who can assist in locating Noluthando Jepe to urgently contact Detective Constable K Nkihlana on 067 062 2522 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or their nearest police station.