Shaida Banu Shaik was last seen on 11 August
Less than four months after she moved to Phoenix to live with her son, Shaida Banu Shaik, 49, wandered off on 11 August from their Northcroft property and her distraught family has been searching for her, day and night, since that fateful day.
Speaking to the Phoenix Tabloid, Shaik’s sister, Latiffa Pillay, broke down and said it has been a traumatic two weeks for the family since their loved one’s disappearance. “We are devastated. Shaida suffers from schizophrenia. She needs her medication. We are hopeful that she is alive but we cannot ignore the fact that anything could have happened to her. Shaida never disappears like that. As a family, we think that she perhaps suffered a breakdown on the day that she disappeared. She did not take any of her personal belongings with her. Her glasses, cellphone and medication are her essential items. We have been following all leads and our hope is fading,” said a heartbroken Pillay. According to Pillay, Shaik resided in Chatsworth all her life and is new to the Phoenix area. “We are deeply concerned that because my sister is not familiar with the area, she may have experienced trouble finding her way around. There were reports of Shaida being seen in the Plaza vicinity which we immediately followed up on but it turned out to be futile. We go out daily checking for my sister and we have scoured the hospitals, mortuaries and shelters for any sight of her,” Pillay added.
A missing person’s case has been registered at Phoenix SAPS. Police Spokesperson, Captain Louise Naidoo, confirmed that a case was opened at Phoenix Police Station. Circulars have been shared extensively on social media. We are devastated. Shaida suffers from schizophrenia. We are hopeful that she is alive but we cannot ignore the fact that anything could have happened to her… “We are devastated as a family. Our Shaida could be anywhere. We have contacted family, friends and organisations in Chatsworth as well to help us in our search for Shaida. We are preparing ourselves for the worst but we are praying for good news. At this point we need to find her because every day that she is missing is a nightmare for us. We are begging members of the public to help us to find my sister. If anyone knows of any information that can lead us to Shaida, we urge them to please come forward. Our sister is out there and we need to find her,” a sobbing Pillay said.
Phoenix Community Forum Chairperson, Umesh Singh, said: “I urge the residents of Phoenix to keep their eyes and ears open for any news of this missing mother. She is ailing and could be in serious problems. We need to reach out to this family and help them to find their loved one. There is no waiting period to report a missing person. Every second counts. The sooner the information is shared, the better. This missing mother’s situation is dire. Though time has passed, we are hopeful that this mom will be found. Every little bit of information can help the family get closer to locating their beloved mom and sister.” If anyone has any information about Shaida Shaik, contact Phoenix SAPS on 031-508-2318, Latiffa Pillay on 065-322-9473 or Faizee on 073-475-4561.
