Rooplal 'Ram' Ramlall.
Image: Supplied
The family of 85-year-old Rooplal 'Ram' Ramlall is pleading with the public to help locate him after he disappeared from his residential complex in Randpark Ridge, Johannesburg, on May 12.
Ramlall, who suffers from dementia, walked out of the Cambria complex at approximately 4.30pm.
His disappearance has left his family devastated and searching tirelessly across Johannesburg.
“For seven days my family has not slept,” said his granddaughter, Yajna Ramlall, 25, from Honeydew.
“We have searched nearly every hospital, mortuary, shelter, park, and informal settlement across Johannesburg. We have followed every tip no matter how small. We have begged, we have prayed, and we have knocked on every door we can find.”
According to the family, Ramlall had dementia for several years following his wife's death in 2017. His condition reportedly worsened over the past three years.
“My grandfather loved taking walks around the complex where he stayed with my uncle. Because he often walked around, my uncle only realised about 45 minutes later that he was missing.”
The family’s only confirmed lead came from security footage showing Ramlall leaving the complex.
Shortly afterward, a takeaway restaurant near the complex told the family that he had stopped there asking for directions to Montgomery Park, where he had lived years ago before moving three years earlier.
“We believe he may have thought he was trying to go back to his old home,” said Yajna.
The family says Ramlall left home without his hearing aid, making it difficult for him to hear.
He also suffers from high blood pressure and requires daily medication. Concern for his well-being has intensified as Johannesburg’s winter temperatures continue to drop.
“He went missing on a night when temperatures dropped to two degrees celsius, and he was not dressed warmly enough for the cold. My grandfather is a very trusting man, and we are terrified for his safety.
“He has his expired drivers license and cellphone with him. We cannot track his phone. I have phoned him more than 150 times in the hopes someone picks up but now his phone is off.”
Despite extensive efforts, including distributing more than 5,000 flyers and offering a R50,000 reward for information leading to his safe return, the family has not found any trace of him.
“We have checked hospitals, homeless shelters and anywhere else we thought he might be, but we have found nothing. My mother is beside herself, and the rest of our family cannot focus on our daily lives. Every night we drive around searching and hoping we will find him somewhere.”
The family hopes the public will see beyond the missing person posters and recognise the man they know and love.
“He is not just a missing person on a flyer. He is the man who went on walks and stopped strangers to share stories from the book he was reading. He spent his whole life quietly helping everyone around him and never asked for anything in return.”
The family is urging anyone who may have seen Ramlall or who has any information about his whereabouts to come forward immediately.
“If someone had seen your grandfather wandering alone and confused, you would want them to stop, to call and to help. We are begging the public to help us bring him home.”
Anyone with information can contact the family on 071 351 7466 or 084 703 5095.