For six agonizing days, the family of 19-year-old Mihle Vimbani, based in Duban, South Africa, has been living a nightmare—one triggered by a short, cryptic text message that now haunts them.
“Mom, guess who I just bumped into?” That was the last message Mihle sent before she vanished, according to South African-based ALGOA FM.
The Durban teen had traveled to Mthatha, a city in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province, on Nov. 13 to pick up her driver’s licence, a milestone she was excited to share.
She reached the local Traffic Department, collected the license, snapped a photo, and sent it to her mother. Then came the unexpected text—and silence.
She never returned home.
Police in South Africa’s Eastern Cape say there has been no trace of Mihle since that afternoon. Her phone went dark. No further messages. No sightings. The investigation, according to authorities, has grown cold.
Her family has been searching relentlessly, splitting their efforts between Durban and Mthatha. They’ve walked through neighborhoods, checked transport routes, and canvassed the areas she was last seen—all without answers. What began as a proud moment for the teen has turned into a desperate hunt for clues.
Lieutenant Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa confirmed that police are now widening the search and appealing directly to the public.
Investigators say Mihle’s last known location was the Mthatha Traffic Department. After that, the trail abruptly ends.
For her family, those final messages are all they have left to hold onto. The excitement in her voice. The relief of finally securing her license. And then, the mystery of that last text—offhand, almost playful, yet now unbearably heavy.
Who did she bump into? And why did she never make it home?
With each passing day, the urgency grows. Her family is pleading for anyone who may have seen Mihle or spoken to her to come forward.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Sergeant Mphathiswa Hintsho of Ngangelizwe SAPS at 083 921 0387.
