The rate at which females in South Africa go missing is alarming. With the growth and the wide reach of the internet, families, friends and well-wishers have resorted to posting missing persons’ information on social media.
They do so in hopes that someone who may have spotted the missing person will provide helpful information that could lead to a reunion with their loved ones. However, the community on social media sites such as Twitter’s response is mixed, and shows a broad spectrum from posting compassionate messages to peddling conspiracies.
In no case has this been more applicable than that of Karabo Ncube-Ntuane who has been missing since 24 March 2018, according to SA Community Crime Watch with Twitter users using the hashtag #KaraboNcube. The following is a list of do’s and dont’s to consider before posting any tweets regarding a missing person.
Do share the message on Twitter. Add as much relevant information as possible, such as a last seen location and picture which could help in the missing person’s identification if anyone sees him or her. This also helps the efforts of the police while leveraging the wide audience on social media.
Twitter user @AbSoLut_OG tweets that Ncube-Ntuane is missing accompanied by a picture and her last location.
Don’t share conspiracy theories without any evidence. If the source of the story being weaved about a missing person on social media is not named, it is as useless as any other baseless rumour.
Twitter user @AdvBarryRoux claimed that a week after Ncube-Ntuane had been missing, her mother had seen her bra on her friend’s bed but gave no sources for this story
Twitter user @SlyPod claims that he knows Ncube-Ntuane’s mother and posts screenshots of Ncube’s mother denying @AdvBarryRoux’s claims
Do Retweet the missing person message in order for it to gain traction. As many members of the public should be alerted and looking out for the missing person.
Twitter user @sure_kamhunga used his account to spread the word that Ncube-Ntuane is missing
Don’t spread false rumours that the missing person has been found. It may prevent people from providing potentially helpful leads because they assume that the ongoing case has been solved.
Twitter user @KingBiko99 tweeted that Ncube had been found although no police reports have confirmed this information
Do ask questions that have not been answered on social media in order to get a clearer view of the case. This could also possibly help the police in their investigation and give loved ones additional options to consider in their search.
Twitter user @caseywaves asks questions regarding the information provided about Ncube-Ntuane on social media
Don’t assume that a missing person is dead if there is no official report saying that this is fact. This could derail and demoralise people from the search for the person. Giving the worst case scenario is insensitive when loved ones are going through an emotionally stressful time.
Twitter users @Tumelo_JHB and @Mikelo_SA both tweeted that Ncube-Ntuane was probably dead
Do share similar stories. This exposes other angles to be considered in the case by alerting social media about the outcomes of other cases.
Under the hashtag #KaraboNcube, Twitter user @zoweethabooty shared the story of her sister who went missing in 2011. It turned out that four of her friends had ordered her killing
Don’t post sensitive information on social media before you are sure of who you should speak to first.
Now deactivated Twitter user @MphoRamabusa tweeted that she had information regarding Ncube-Ntuane’s case and would share it in a thread the next day.
Twitter users @LeratoMannya and @thobekambane show a fraction of the speculation around the circumstances behind @MphoRamabusa’s Twitter deactivation.
Anyone with any information regarding Karabo Ncube-Ntuane’s whereabouts should contact the South African Police Service or report it to their nearest police station.
Karabo Ncube-Ntuane is still missing at the time of writing.