What was supposed to be a fun night out with friends turned into a horrific ordeal for an 18-year-old high school student from eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal. After vanishing without a trace for nearly two weeks, the young woman was found on Thursday, 1 May 2025, by three classmates—traumatized, disoriented, and with a harrowing story to tell.
Missing Since Mid-April After Party With Friends
The teenager was last seen on 16 April after attending a party in Cottonlands with four friends.
According to her mother, who contacted Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) at 9:51 PM on 1 May, no one had seen or heard from her since that night.
RUSA officers responded immediately and spoke with the student’s mother.
The family had been living in fear and uncertainty for almost two weeks. Finally, three young men who knew the student brought her home, saying they found her in a Durban township.
Victim Says She Was Drugged and Raped
Once safely home, the girl revealed the deeply disturbing events she endured.
She told RUSA officers that after the initial party, she and three other girls joined four men at a nightclub.
That’s when things took a dark turn.
She said the men accused one of the girls of stealing drugs.
In response, the men allegedly forced all four girls to take cocaine and then repeatedly raped them in a dark, unfamiliar room.
She also claimed she was later taken to another unknown location, where she was held against her will.
During her captivity, the student recalled being injected repeatedly in her arms.
She couldn’t confirm if she had been prostituted, but the physical and emotional damage was clear.
The details are chilling—and heartbreaking.
School Friends Rescue Her From Alleged Captors
In what seems like a small miracle, the teen was spotted at a tavern on Thursday evening by three male classmates.
Recognizing her immediately, they stepped in and brought her home to her family.
It’s hard to imagine what might have happened if they hadn’t been in the right place at the right time.
Police Take Control of the Case
RUSA promptly contacted the South African Police Service (SAPS), who arrived at the scene and took over the investigation.
The interview with the student was recorded using RUSA’s body-worn cameras, in line with their standard policy.
Given the sensitive and distressing nature of the case, authorities have chosen to withhold specific details in order to protect the young woman’s identity and support the ongoing investigation.
A Call for Action to Protect Youth
This case has left many people asking: how do we stop this from happening to other young people?
South Africa, like many other countries, continues to struggle with gender-based violence, drug-related crimes, and human trafficking.
It’s not enough to react after the fact.
Preventative education, community awareness, stricter nightclub monitoring, and fast-response mechanisms must be part of the national conversation—because no teenager should ever have to go through something like this.