In the cramped, corrugated iron home of the Mamphse family in the Alaska informal settlement, a clock on the wall seems to have stopped. For Gladys Mamphse, every tick since the morning of November 6, 2025, has been measured not in seconds, but in waves of escalating dread. Her son, Temosho Laurance Mamphse, 24, vanished without a trace, launching a desperate search that has consumed his family and now involves an urgent police appeal to the public.
“I left for work at 6:30 a.m. He was making tea in the kitchen,” Gladys recounted, her voice trembling as she sat in the same room where she last saw her son. “I called out, ‘Temosho, I’m going.’ He said, ‘Go well, Mama.’ That was it. There was nothing strange, no argument, no mention of any plans. Just my boy, starting his day.”
When Gladys returned that evening, the silence was deafening. Temosho was gone. His phone, which he almost always carried, was left behind on his neatly made bed. A cup, washed and dried, sat in the rack. Nothing was disturbed, nothing was missing except him.
“I waited, thinking maybe he went to a friend,” she said. “By midnight, I was walking through these streets, calling his name. I have not slept properly since.”
A Community on Edge
The Alaska informal settlement, a vibrant but struggling community, has rallied around Gladys. For days, relatives, neighbours, and friends have organized search parties, scouring nearby open fields, checking taxi ranks, and visiting every place Temosho was known to frequent. He was described by those who know him as a quiet, respectful young man who helped his mother immensely and was saving money from informal piece jobs with hopes of eventually studying logistics.
“He is not a person who would just leave without telling his mother,” said his uncle, Sipho Mamphse. “She is his world. This is completely out of character. We fear the worst, but we pray for the best.”
The Mamelodi East Police have registered Temosho as a missing person and have launched their own investigation. Constable Penelope Khulong, the police spokesperson, reiterated the urgency of the case.
“The disappearance of Temosho Laurance Mamphse is deeply concerning. His mother reported it immediately, and that was the correct thing to do,” Khulong stated. “We wish to stress to the public: there is no waiting period to report a missing person. If you have a bad feeling, come to us immediately. Time is always critical.”
The Void of Details
A significant hurdle in the investigation is the lack of a clear last sighting or known destination. Police have confirmed they do not know what Temosho was wearing when he disappeared. He was last seen in the home, and no one in the neighbourhood recalls seeing him leave that morning.
“This lack of a starting point makes the search immensely difficult,” Constable Khulong admitted. “We are following all procedural avenues, but we are heavily reliant on the community. Someone, somewhere, might have seen something they didn’t even realize was important.”
The family’s anguish is compounded by this void of information. Gladys spends her days visiting the police station for updates, then walking the streets again, holding a faded photograph of her son—a picture from his 23rd birthday where he smiles shyly at the camera.
“I look at his clothes, wondering what he put on that day,” Gladys whispered, clutching the photo. “I check his cupboard, but I can’t tell what’s missing. My mind is a storm. I just need to know he is alive. I need to bring my boy home.”
A Plea to the Public
Authorities are casting a wide net, appealing to anyone in Mamelodi East and the greater Tshwane area. They are particularly interested in speaking to taxi drivers, street vendors, and anyone who might have been in or around the Alaska settlement on the morning of November 6.
“Any piece of information could be the key,” Khulong urged. “Did you see a young man fitting his description? Has someone you know behaved unusually or spoken of an unexpected encounter? Even the smallest detail could help us piece together his last movements.”
Temosho Laurance Mamphse is described as approximately 1.75 meters tall, of slim build, with a light complexion. He has a small, distinctive scar above his left eyebrow from a childhood fall.
As the days pass, the hope for a simple explanation fades, replaced by a grim determination to find answers. The Mamelodi East police station has become a beacon for the family’s hopes, while the quiet home in Alaska stands as a testament to a son’s absence.
How to Help:
Anyone with any information regarding the whereabouts of Temosho Laurance Mamphse is urged to contact:
- The Mamelodi East Police Station: 012 815 7000
- Crime Stop: 08600 10 111 (anonymous)
- Submit a tip via the MySAPS app.
“Please,” Gladys Mamphse implored, her eyes welling with tears yet unwavering in their plea. “If you know anything, if you have seen my son, speak up. He is loved. He is missed. He needs to come home.”
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