IT was supposed to be a joyous moment.

Mother and son, reunited yesterday after three days of frantic searching. But for Snowy Mahlangu of Zola, Soweto, it was a bitter sweet moment.

Though she was happy to be reunited with 8-year-old Ntando at Johannesburg Child Welfare, she was also nursing a broken heart. Her mother, Dudu Gasa, died a day after her son's disappearance.

According to Mahlangu her mother's health deteriorated on hearing the news of his grandson's disappearance on Sunday.

"She called me on Sunday to tell me my cousin, whom Ntando had stayed with the previous night, had called to inform her about his dis appearance. That was the last time we spoke."

On Monday, while searching for her son, who had been visiting her from Emnambithi, KwaZulu-Natal, she received even more bad news.

"Neighbours called saying my mother had died. They said she told them about Ntando's disappearance."

Constable John Serala of Moroka police station said Ntando was brought to the station by paramedics..

"They had found him wandering the streets and he told them he was lost."

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selebim@sowetan.co.za