The search for missing South African Police Service (SAPS) reservist Moabi Alex Thekiso has intensified, with police and community members racing against time to find the Excelsior officer who disappeared under unexplained circumstances.

On Monday, Free State MEC for Community Safety, Roads and Transport Jabu Mbalula visited the traumatised Thekiso family to offer support as uncertainty continues to surround his disappearance.

Mbalula urged the family and community to cooperate fully with investigators and allow the law to take its course.

“His disappearance is a concern to the entire policing community. I am calling on the family and community members to cooperate and work with the police during the investigation and allow investigators to do their work,” said Mbalula.

Thekiso, affectionately known as Muvas or Modoi, went missing on 31 July. He served at Excelsior SAPS as a Rural Safety Coordinator and was a long-serving police reservist.

He lived in Mahlatswetsa and regularly travelled to areas including Ficksburg, Clocolan and Ladybrand. At the time of his disappearance, he was reportedly wearing a brown jacket and grey jeans.

His disappearance has deeply affected the Mahlatswetsa community, which continues to rally behind his family while calling for intensified efforts to locate him.

Community members have also taken to social media to remember Thekiso and highlight his contribution to policing.

“He solved more cases than most trained officers alive; from a young age he arrested the most hardcore criminals, and yet they failed to give him his flowers,” said Teboho Chris Mohono in a Facebook post.

Another community member, King Morena, expressed concern over Thekiso’s long service as a reservist and called for his safe return.

Thekiso’s younger brother, Thabo Thekiso, recalled the events surrounding his disappearance, saying his brother left home in the early hours of 29 July after allegedly receiving a call from his superiors informing him that they would collect him for an operation.

“They came to fetch him, and he went to work, and he was never seen again. Then the next day I received a call from one of his colleagues asking for him,” said Thabo.

He said some family members also received calls from the same colleague asking about Thekiso before they were aware that he was missing.

The family has expressed frustration over what it believes has been a lack of progress in locating Thekiso. His brother said the disappearance has caused immense emotional distress, particularly for his children.

“The Captain at the police station promised us that he would investigate our brother’s disappearance himself, but we were shocked when he retired without giving us the progress of the case,” he said.

SAPS, however, maintains that efforts to locate Thekiso are continuing.

Lieutenant Captain Thabo Covani confirmed that investigations into the reservist’s disappearance remain ongoing.