After searching for their missing sister for more than 30 years, a family in Khayelitsha in Bloemfontein was on Sunday thrilled to finally be reunited with her.
Bahedile Oliphant, 46, vanished without a trace for three decades, leaving her family distraught.
Oliphant left for Klerksdorp in the North West with her husband in 1984, leaving her one-year-old daughter (now 32) behind.
She was later traced by a former private investigator who volunteered, and wished to remain anonymous.
“I am just happy that they did not give up on me. They looked for me and they found me,” said the visibly emotional Oliphant.
Oliphant, who has six children, said she divorced her first husband after a few years when she left home.
She then re-married and had five children with her second husband who later died in 2012.
“I have been meaning to go back to my family, however my husband was not working permanently – and after he had died, there was no way we could manage to come back home.
“I am here to stay now, I am happy that I am back just in time for Christmas.” she told News24.
Meanwhile, her sister Christina said she had already declared her sister dead.
“We did not know her whereabouts, I thought she was dead, and I just wanted closure. I needed someone who could assist me to find her or just to find her grave,” she said.
“I have not been sleeping well. I was always wondering if she had died or not. My biggest fear was dying without ever seeing her again, or not knowing her whereabouts. We missed her; everyday without her has been hard.”
She also said when their mother died in 2008; she could only wish her child was around.
“Our mother was always in pain before she died, it was always her wish to see her before she died,” she said.
News24
Woman reunited with family after disappearing 31 years ago
After searching for their missing sister for more than 30 years, a family in Khayelitsha in Bloemfontein was on Sunday thrilled to finally be reunited with her.
Bahedile Oliphant, 46, vanished without a trace for three decades, leaving her family distraught.
Oliphant left for Klerksdorp in the North West with her husband in 1984, leaving her one-year-old daughter (now 32) behind.
She was later traced by a former private investigator who volunteered, and wished to remain anonymous.
“I am just happy that they did not give up on me. They looked for me and they found me,” said the visibly emotional Oliphant.
Oliphant, who has six children, said she divorced her first husband after a few years when she left home.
She then re-married and had five children with her second husband who later died in 2012.
“I have been meaning to go back to my family, however my husband was not working permanently – and after he had died, there was no way we could manage to come back home.
“I am here to stay now, I am happy that I am back just in time for Christmas.” she told News24.
Meanwhile, her sister Christina said she had already declared her sister dead.
“We did not know her whereabouts, I thought she was dead, and I just wanted closure. I needed someone who could assist me to find her or just to find her grave,” she said.
“I have not been sleeping well. I was always wondering if she had died or not. My biggest fear was dying without ever seeing her again, or not knowing her whereabouts. We missed her; everyday without her has been hard.”
She also said when their mother died in 2008; she could only wish her child was around.
“Our mother was always in pain before she died, it was always her wish to see her before she died,” she said.
News24
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