The Glen community in the Mangaung Metro is reeling from yet another devastating tragedy following the discovery of five-year-old Onkarabetse Leeuw’s body. What began as a desperate search filled with hope has ended in unimaginable sorrow, leaving families and residents traumatized and demanding justice.
Onkarabetse was reported missing earlier this week, sparking immediate concern among relatives, neighbours, and community members who joined forces with local authorities to search for the little boy. Sadly, their worst fears were confirmed when his lifeless body was found in the veld yesterday afternoon. The discovery was made just a short distance from his home, a detail that has only deepened the community’s sense of shock and grief. According to police, the area had been searched before, making the tragic outcome even more unsettling.
The investigating officer expressed heartbreak over the case, noting that he had held strong hopes of finding Onkarabetse alive. His optimism was shared by many who joined the search, praying for a miracle that ultimately did not come. The loss of such a young child under such distressing circumstances has shaken the community, leaving many struggling to make sense of the cruelty that befell him.
What makes this tragedy even more difficult to bear is its haunting connection to another recent loss in the same area. Onkarabetse was related to three-year-old Katleho Joy Leeuw, a toddler whose disappearance and subsequent murder last month left the community grieving and enraged. Katleho’s case had already raised fears about the safety of children in Glen, and now, with Onkarabetse suffering a similar fate, residents say they are living in fear, frustration, and uncertainty.
