With no breakthroughs in the case and their hope hanging by a thread, the family of missing Parkside grandmother Eudora Bruintjies is appealing to the East London public to help them raise funds to hire a private investigator to find her.
Bruintjies, 52, disappeared six months ago and was last seen on October 25 2024, around 7pm, on Lavender Avenue, Parkside. She was dressed in a blue jacket, a pink gown, a striped dress, black pants, white slippers, and a brown beanie.
She is 1.54m tall with greenish eyes and curly blonde-grey hair.
Bruintjies suffers from epilepsy, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and was last seen leaving her house, heading towards the Buffalo Flats police station after an alleged domestic dispute.
As the months drag on, Bruintjies’ family believes that a point has been reached where a private investigator may bring new insights and leads into the search for her. To fund this investigation, the family has started an online campaign, ‘Help Find Eudora Bruintjies,’ with the aim of raising R28,000 within the next two months.
Her daughter, Michaela Gregory said: “This is not a condemnation of the SAPS investigation. We are grateful for what has been done so far but we acknowledge there have been challenges. Our hope is that a private investigator will be able to devote more time, resources, and personal attention to the case than what might be available through SAPS.
“By bringing in a private investigator, we aim to complement the efforts of authorities and work together towards bringing my mother home.
“We believe a private investigator can uncover overlooked details as there are specific points in the timeline and people who were in close contact with my mother shortly before she disappeared, who we believe need a deeper look.
“We also want to understand more about her mental state that day, her intention, allegedly to go to the police station [when she disappeared] and whether she ever made it there. We need someone to dig into the CCTV footage, retrace her last known steps and engage with community members who may have seen something but felt too afraid or unsure to come forward.”
Gregory added that the family has been in touch with different private investigators and are reviewing options which work best for them considering Bruintjies’ diagnosed conditions.
“My mother is not just a missing person — she is someone who needs care and deserves to be safe. We are not just raising money, we are raising hope and we need the public’s help to make sure she is not forgotten.”
Jacqui Thomas from Pink Ladies NPO, a national organisation dedicated to missing persons, said that in this year alone 223 missing person cases were reported to them, 120 of whom remain missing.
Thomas said: “Consulting a PI can be helpful because our state systems are stretched to the limit and have been for years. Investigating officers on the cases change from time to time, sometimes even from shift to shift, and with the current volumes of high priority crimes in SA, missing persons are sometimes seen as less urgent.”
Thomas said Pink Ladies had made use of private investigators before given the attention and resources they can afford to dedicate to individual cases however she cautioned against consulting PIs without a proven track record and those who demand a large deposit before starting work.
Royal Investigations PI John Alexander emphasised the urgency and complexity of missing person cases, stressing that these investigations demand specialist knowledge and swift, uninterrupted attention.
Alexander said: “The longer someone is missing, the more challenging the investigation becomes. While we always hold out hope, families must prepare for all possible outcomes especially if the person has been missing for several months. Sadly experience shows that the chances of positive resolution diminish over time.
“SAPS are often overwhelmed and in many cases, leads provided by the public are not followed up effectively.
“For this reason, families are strongly advised to set up a dedicated cellphone or WhatsApp line for tips as the public tends to be more willing to share information when they don’t have to go through official channels or fear being subjected to scrutiny.”
Supra Private Investigations managing director Pieter Swanepoel said unlike police, who are often limited by heavy caseloads and strict procedure, PIs can operate more flexibly — conducting discreet interviews, leveraging private networks, and dedicating more time to overlooked leads
He added that PIs are sometimes able to connect with community members in ways police cannot especially in cases where witnesses may be afraid to engage with authorities.
Swanepoel said: “We urge anyone with information, no matter how insignificant, to come forward. Even a vague memory or odd observation from the time of her disappearance could prove pivotal. Every voice matters.”
Gregory said: “The best way to support us is by staying alert, continuing to share my mother’s story and help us raise awareness or funds.
“Our strength lies in unity and every effort counts. My mother deserves to be found and not forgotten.”
Buffalo Flats SAPS did not reply to request for comment by print deadline.
To support the campaign, please visit the BackABuddy website and search ‘Help Find Eudora Bruintjies’. Alternatively please contact Michaela Gregory on: 079-598-4684 or Buffalo Flats SAPS 072-730-1221 under case number 1/10/2024.