The search continues for Mariana Kotze, a former contestant on the popular kykNET cooking show Kokkedoor, after her vehicle was found in Mbombela, Mpumalanga.
Kotze was reported missing on Monday,2 February, after her silver Mitsubishi Pajero Sport was allegedly hijacked near the Nkomazi toll plaza while she was on her way to Komatipoort.
Her vehicle was later discovered at Sonpark Boulevard in Mbombela this morning on 4 February.
Braam Oosthuizen, owner of security company iSecure, said one of the company’s clients spotted the vehicle and alerted their operations manager, who then notified authorities.
Video footage circulating on social media shows Kotze getting out of the vehicle with suitcases.
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Police investigation
According to Lowvelder, police initially instructed that no information about Kotze’s disappearance be released.
Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, provincial police spokesperson, explained that the request was related to negotiations already underway with the alleged abductors, which were considered extremely sensitive at the time.
Her husband, Boland Kotze, reportedly received a voice message from an unknown person warning him not to suspend or restrict her bank transaction limits.
The circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain unclear, and police have not confirmed whether the suspected hijacking is directly linked to her disappearance.
Kotze, originally from Standerton, first gained recognition when she appeared on Season 3 of Kokkedoor in 2019. She was noted for her creative approach to traditional South African dishes.
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