Jim Mohlala|Published
A search for a missing 12-year-old girl sparked a tense protest outside Hout Bay Police Station on Tuesday night, with burning tyres reported as anxious residents demanded answers. The child was later found unharmed after spending the night on a mountain, according to a community leader.
Western Cape police confirmed that protesters gathered outside the station to demand action over the missing girl. The crowd dispersed after she was found, and no injuries were reported.
Search for missing girl sparks community protest
Western Cape SAPS spokesperson Constable Ndakhe Gwala confirmed that the protest was sparked by the search for the missing child.
“This office confirms that a group of protesters gathered outside Hout Bay police station last night,” Gwala said.
She said the protesters were demanding action for the missing 12-year-old girl.
“The child was found unharmed, and the crowd dispersed. At this stage, no injuries were reported,” Gwala said.
Unverified social media reports on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, claimed the Imizamo Yethu community had shut down the police station, with people allegedly becoming violent towards passing vehicles and pedestrians.
Loyiso Skoti, chairperson of the Imizamo Yethu Development Forum, told IOL Media that the Grade 6 learner had allegedly been beaten by her mother on Monday night.
“She ran away and didn’t come back home, and the mother panicked, and the community was made aware,” Skoti said.
He said residents joined police and Community Police Forum (CPF) members in searching for the girl the following day.
“The search started at 3pm and went on until after 5,” he said.
Residents question search efforts
After 5pm, with no sign of the girl, community members approached police to discuss the way forward.
Skoti said residents questioned why police had not used dogs to search for the child.
“The police mentioned that dog search means that people have to be moved, and that is not easy in a township. As the chair of Imizamo Yethu Development, I disagreed with what was said,” he said.
Tensions increased when community members outside the police station saw officers engaged in a lengthy conversation with the girl’s parent inside, Skoti said.
“The community started panicking because there was a long talk inside and it was getting late,” he said.
“That’s when people went to the circle and started to burn tyres.”
“It’s something that no one could control,” he said.
Skoti said community leaders told residents that the search would continue from 6.30pm or 7pm, while teams were still being organised to cover the rest of the area.
Missing girl found on mountain
The girl was eventually found by local children.
According to Skoti, she had spent the night on the mountain because she was afraid to return home.
“She slept in the mountain because she was scared to come back, fearing that the mother would beat her again,” Skoti said.
Before 8pm, the forum took the girl to the police station, where she underwent an assessment by a social worker and was seen by a doctor.
“The child is safe; nothing happened,” Skoti said.