Cape Town - Missing Kids South Africa is appealing for the public's assistance in tracking down other missing children during this festive season.
The organisation said the call was sparked by the rising number of children going missing and urged parents to be vigilant during the holiday season.
Speaking to eNCA, Missing Kids SA’s Bianca Gareth Edwards, said: “It's school holidays, it is busy and it's actually as if people do not take in the message, and we realise that this is something that is increasing daily in our country. The severity of children going missing is of great concern and it's the most devastating thing a family can go through,” Edwards said.
She said a child can go missing very quickly, especially on beaches and in shopping centres.
“Parents and guardians need to be vigilant and careful about where their children are at all times and who they are with.
“This is something that that also parents and guardians do not do and that is why that as soon as a child has gone missing missing they do get alarmed and wait for few minutes before they report the incident hoping that the child might come back.
“Unfortunately by then the child could be anywhere without having been reported."
Edwards said the law states there is no waiting period for reporting a child or adult missing in South Africa.
“It needs to be reported immediately and people are still under the impression that they have to wait a certain period of time that has to lapse before they can go and open a case, and that doesn’t exist anymore.”
IOL