Ten years on: Family of missing girl Shasha-Lee November question police efforts

On the ten year anniversary of six-year-old Shasha-Lee November's kidnapping in Hanover Park, her family said they believe that the police have failed her.

Shasha-Lee vanished outside of her home in Groenall Walk, Hanover Park, on May 3, 2015 and was never seen again.

This week police confirmed that the case had run cold with no leads after ten years.

Police spokesperson, Sergeant Wesley Twigg explained: “In response to your media enquiry, kindly be advised that the matter you are referring to is still under investigation and Sasha Lee is still missing.”

Jasmine Harris, Shasha-Lee’s sister, feels that the case was mishandled from the beginning, right from the day her little sister disappeared.

“My mother went to the police station on the day she went missing and she was told to come back after 24 hours.

“I feel if they  had to do an immediate search, they could have found her.”

Harris said she was keen to do an age progression of the little girl as she would celebrate her 17th birthday this year.

She said she had seen the age progression done on six-year-old Asheeqah Noordien who vanished in June 2005 in Manenberg.

Saafia Samuels,a family friend and community activist who had been part of the search for Sasha-Lee said not enough had been done to assist the family.

“This year everyone forgot Shasha-Lee, not even a prayer was given, saps also stopped and the missing persons organisations while the case of Joshlin is under way,” she said.

“What is happening with the docket since Colonel Laing (former station commander, Philippi) is gone.

“I was in hospital at the  time of the anniversary and If I could have, I would have been there, even just to encourage the family or say a prayer.”

Last year during an interview with the Cape Argus sister publication, the  Weekend Argus,  former top cop, Colonel Dawood Laing who had been the Station Commander at Philippi Police Station at the time of the disappearance, said social workers had failed the child after concerns of neglect and behaviour had been reported to their offices by individuals and by her school, Belmore Primary in Hanover Park.

Laing said her parents Sandra and Calvin November, who were both drug addicts and are now deceased, were not properly interrogated by detectives.

In their response DSD said last year that they had no records of any  psychosocial support services for Shasha Lee November or her family before or after her disappearance. 

They explained that the only records they had  were that of a Designated Child Protection Organisation of foster care placement for her siblings.

Cape Argus