The family of a 44-year-old mother, Jonitha Baron-Bessick, has launched a desperate appeal for her safe return, offering a R5,000 reward for any information that leads to her whereabouts. Her disappearance, which occurred under circumstances of severe mental distress, has once again brought the systemic failures of psychiatric discharge policies in the Western Cape into sharp focus.
Jonitha was last seen in Mitchells Plain on 15 February 2026. However, there is a notable discrepancy regarding the exact day she left her parents' home in Belhar. Her sister, Natasha Marco, informed the Daily Voice that Jonitha departed on Saturday, 14 February, at approximately 10:00 am. Conversely, police spokesperson Constable Ndakhe Gwala stated that Belhar detectives are investigating her disappearance as having occurred on Monday, 16 February. This 48-hour gap in the official timeline is a critical detail in a case where every hour counts.
The heart of the tragedy lies in Jonitha’s fragile mental state. A patient at Stikland Psychiatric Hospital, she had been admitted in December 2025. Despite her family’s observations that she remained profoundly unstable—frequently talking to herself, trees, cars, and even airplanes—she was discharged after only a week. This "crisis discharge" is a recurring theme in the Western Cape, where severe bed shortages often force facilities to release patients before they are fully stabilised. Medical experts have previously warned that such premature releases often lead to "revolving door" admissions or, in tragic cases like Jonitha’s, the disappearance of vulnerable individuals into the urban sprawl.
"She talks to trees, cars, and anything, and sometimes doesn’t know who she is," Natasha Marco explained. "She would ask people for money and was confused."
Jonitha’s initial intention was to visit her son, who lives with his father in Mitchells Plain. When she arrived, her son was not at home. Witnesses who encountered her the following day reported that her confusion had visibly worsened. Since then, several sightings have kept the family’s hopes alive, only to end in heartbreak when they arrived too late.
"People say they saw her at Town Centre last week. And this week, people said that they saw her at Westgate Mall and at a Spar opposite the mall," said Marco. "But when we got there, it was too late. We saw no trace of her."
The R5,000 reward, announced on 22 February, is a measure of the family's desperation. Mitchells Plain, where Jonitha was last spotted, is a notorious hotspot for missing persons. Local residents have long campaigned for a specialised police unit to handle such cases, as the precinct consistently ranks among the highest in the country for violent crime and unresolved disappearances. Recent statistics from the South African Police Service (SAPS) indicate that thousands of adults go missing annually in the province, with those suffering from mental illnesses being particularly vulnerable to exploitation or harm. The Western Cape remains one of the most challenging regions for missing persons cases, often hampered by overstretched resources and the sheer density of the Cape Flats.
Marco emphasised that this is the first time such an incident has occurred. She pleaded with the public to show compassion, noting that Jonitha is not a threat to others. "We ask people to really consider that we, as a family, are worried about her. She is not a violent person; it’s just that she went through a lot of trauma in her life and went through a nervous breakdown, which is why she is in the state that she is in."
The search for Jonitha coincides with other recent tragedies in the region, such as the ongoing search for 13-year-old Willow Rose Williams, who went missing from Facreton on 9 February. These cases underscore a growing sense of insecurity in the Western Cape, where families are often left to lead their own investigations while navigating an overstretched policing system. The lack of a centralised, rapid-response unit for missing adults with mental health issues is a gap that many activists say needs urgent attention.
At the time of her disappearance, Jonitha was wearing a red and white top, maroon pants, blue sandals, and a grey scarf. She is described as being of slender build with hazel or light brown eyes and light to medium brown hair.
Belhar detectives are leading the investigation. Anyone who may have seen Jonitha or has information regarding her location is urged to contact the investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Filemon, on 021 953 8100 or 071 639 8344. Information can also be shared via the SAPS Crime Stop number.
The Baron-Bessick family remains in a state of agonising limbo, waiting for the phone call that will bring Jonitha home. In a community where disappearances are all too common, they are refusing to let her become just another statistic in a system that they feel has already failed her.
Follow Us on Twitter
