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A 66-year-old man from Stinkwater, a village north of Pretoria has been missing since March 2025. Amos Modikwe Shiang was living with dementia when he disappeared, and his family are losing hope in finding him.
“My uncle just went out and we thought he was at the neighbours, only to find out he went astray to an unknown place. We tried to call the (local) residents for help but it was too little, too late,” says his nephew, Lucas Shiang.
A missing person’s report was filed with the police, but six months later, there’s no trace of Shiang.
This isn’t the first time the Stinkwater community has faced this.
Sydney Baloyi tells Health-e News his father Elias Baloyi (then aged 71) was found dead weeks after being reported missing.
“It’s not easy living with a dementia patient. They need constant supervision, because the mind struggles to grasp what is happening around them. My father, who was diagnosed in his late fifties, could only remember events from his past but not current affairs. You could have a flowing conversation with him and he would forget everything in a few minutes or in seconds sometimes,” Baloyi says.
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“He would forget his loved ones or his own home sometimes. Our black communities should learn more about dementia because most people don’t believe in this illness and often blame witchcraft.”
Lack Of Support
Dementia is poorly understood, and experts say families often lack the support they need to care for loved ones.
“Dementia can be very difficult, not only for the person but their family members. “Most dementia care takes place at home, where family members and caregivers provide the greatest support. Caregivers often help with daily activities such as preparing meals, assisting with feeding, bathing, dressing, and ensuring medication is taken correctly,” explains Dr Ziphozihle Ntwatwa of the Neuroscience Institute at the University of Cape Town.
She says some families seek out support from community organisations such as day centres or support groups, ‘which can ease the strain on caregivers while offering valuable social engagement for the person living with dementia.’
But in Stinkwater, no community organisation offering such support exists.
When Brian Raseroka went to work, he had no choice but to leave his late mum, Evelyn, home alone. She’d leave the house, and would often get lost in the neighbourhood.
“Some of the things would happen while I was away at work and there was no one to take care of her. We started locking the gates to stop her from wandering off, which could have led to her getting lost forever,” he tells Health-e News.
Raising Awareness
Lieutenant Col Mavela Masondo says police try to raise awareness and sensitise communities about looking out for the elderly and people with dementia. He emphasises that there’s no waiting period for reporting a missing person.
“If we find a person with dementia or elderly people, we make an announcement at our local radio station to alert the family that he or she is with the police. We will keep the person safe until the family comes. If that person needs medical attention we call EMS to come and take them to hospital,” says Mavela. “We also have regular slots on local radio stations where we share tips on how to treat vulnerable people including children and people with mental illnesses.” –Health-e News
