(At the hospital Doctor Sigcu is at his office, he receives a call from an unknown caller.)

Doctor:Dr Sigcu here, how can I help you?

Caller: Doctor, let me make things easy for you, I’ll give you R900 000 to switch off Nhlanhla Mzayiya’s life support machines now. To make sure she doesn’t get up from that bed.

Doctor:: (Shocked) Who’s this? Where are you from?

Caller: It doesn’t matter, do as I tell you to, tell me when you’re done so that I can make the payment. (The call drops.)

(Doctor Sigcu is sitting in his office thinking about the matter. He decides to take the money over someone’s life. He gets up and goes to the ward where Nhlanla sleeps. When he gets there the bed is empty.)

Doctor: (Surprised, he shouts for help) Nurse! Nurse!

Sister Zondi: Yes, doctor?

Doctor:Where is the girl who was here?

Sister Zondi: I have no idea sir. I checked on her one hour ago. She was here.

Doctor: (Angry) No, this can’t be happening nurse. No! Call security. Security! Security!

Mr Zanga: Yes, Doc!

Doctor: Did you see a young light-skinned girl leave the hospital in hospital attire?

Mr Zanga: Eish! No sir.

Doctor: This can’t be happening, no man, let me call her mom and find out.

(He dials her mother, Thembi.)

Thembi: Yes doctor.

Doctor: Where’s your daughter? Is she with you?

Thembi: (Shocked) No, what has happened to my daughter? Where is she?

Doctor: She’s not in her ward. We have checked the hospital and she’s not here.

Thembi: No! How can that happen? You have security in the hospital, this can’t happen. Call the police! Have you informed them?

Doctor: We will inform them now, ma’am. (He drops the call.)

(Thembi starts to get worried. She calls Sethu, to see if he has any idea. But Sethu’s phone is on voicemail. She decided to go to his home and finds his mom sitting at the table.)

Thembi: Greetings, ma’am.

Pamela: Yes.

Thembi: Is Sethu around?

Pamela: Sethu? The last time I saw him was yesterday, he just said he will be back. He said I mustn’t try to get hold of him. He left his phone behind, maybe he went to his father’s family. I don’t know. He has been acting weird at home. Sometimes he sleeps outside, he doesn’t eat, he doesn’t do anything here! I don’t know what’s hurting him.

Thembi: OK, thanks ma’am, I have to rush somewhere.

***

Tell us: What do you think has happened to Nhlanhla?