‘You can tell she doesn't know where Thando is' — Sister of missing ex-footballer challenges girlfriend's claim

The Citizen

23-07-2025

Mngomeni is reportedly missing, with family members concerned about his whereabouts. However, his lover claims he's alive and well.
Former professional footballer Thando Mngomeni is reportedly missing, with family members worried about his whereabouts.
However, according to a woman who claims to be his lover, the former Sundowns midfielder has not gone AWOL.
'Thando is not missing. Andile, these people are trying to frustrate me. Thando is alright, he's eating cheesecake, he's fine,' said Palesa speaking on Metro FM's Sports Night Amplified With Andile Ncube.
A missing person flyer featuring the former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder's face has been circulating on social media for the past few days, stating that he has not been seen in more than a month.
However, the former footballer's sister disputes the statement.
'She's a liar. You can tell that she doesn't know where Thando is. She's joking and playing around, saying she and Thando are eating cheesecake. This is a serious matter,' Mngomeni's sister, Pat Maki told The Citizen on Wednesday.
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'She's just doing this to get attention'
Pat said she last saw Mngomeni the day after Youth Day.
'I never saw him after that, and I asked around, and nobody knows his whereabouts. He doesn't have a phone,' said Pat.
'The last time I spoke with him, on the 17th of June, he said he was waiting for his friend, Musa. So I asked Musa, and he also said he last saw him [Mngomeni] that day.'
An emotional Pat said that this coming weekend will be three months since their father died, with a family ceremony set to commemorate his passing.
'But Thando is nowhere to be found,' shared Pat. She added that Palesa was doing all of this for clout.
'She's just doing this to get attention. This is a serious matter, we are worried as a family.'
According to Pat, the family went to the police, but they were advised to first search for him in hospitals and mortuaries.
'We did that yesterday, and we are planning on going to the police and opening a case today, since we couldn't find him at the hospital and at any of the mortuaries.'
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An overly relaxed Palesa
An overly relaxed Palesa spoke without any sense of urgency to Ncube on air. Referring to herself in the third person, Palesa described herself as Mngomeni's woman.
'Palesa is a Thando [Mngomeni's] woman, beloved woman,' she said.
She denied that she and Mngomeni have split up, 'If Thando wasn't alright, I would call them [Mngomeni's family] and tell them that there's a problem. We're happy, we are eating cheesecake.'
Palesa said Mngomeni was in Cape Town and would be flying to Joburg 'very soon'. She claimed to have last spoken to the former footballer on Tuesday morning.
When Ncube asked Pat about Palesa, she was unsure of the state of the pair's relationship.
'She's his ex… I don't know what's going on between the two, and I don't want to dwell on it,' said Pat.
She added that Mngomeni didn't pack a bag or take one when he left.
'He's used to leaving for about two weeks or so; we'd know where he is. Maybe the Eastern Cape or Joburg. But now no one knows where he is.'
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