A popular Afrikaans television personality has been missing since Monday, February 2, 2026. Mariana Kotze, who appeared on the kykNET reality cooking show Kokkedoor in 2019, was allegedly hijacked while driving to do some shopping. Her silver Mitsubishi Pajero Sport has now been found at Sonpark Boulevard in Mbombela, but there is still no sign of the 67-year-old woman herself. Police are treating the case as a kidnapping and hijacking. The community in Mpumalanga is deeply worried. This is not an easy time for her family or the people who know her.
Kotze left her home in Marloth Park at around 8:15 on Monday morning. She was heading to Komatipoort to do some shopping. It was supposed to be a simple trip. But she never arrived. CCTV footage shows her car was seen in Malelane at around 10:30 that morning. By 10:45, the vehicle passed through the Nkomazi toll plaza. That was the last confirmed sighting of Kotze before she disappeared.
Her husband, Boland Kotze, received a message from the suspected hijackers. The message told him not to block or close their bank accounts. This is a common tactic used by kidnappers. They want access to the victim’s money. Boland also heard his wife’s voice in the background during the communication. That was a small relief. It meant she was still alive at that point. But so far, no money has been withdrawn from their accounts. This has left police and the family confused about what the kidnappers actually want.
On Tuesday morning, February 4, security company iSecure made an important discovery. One of their clients spotted Kotze’s vehicle at Sonpark Centre in Mbombela. The operations manager was alerted immediately. He notified the authorities right away. Video footage circulating on social media shows a woman getting out of the vehicle with suitcases. Police are investigating whether this was Kotze herself or someone else using her car. The simple fact is that finding the car does not mean finding Kotze. The two are separate issues.
Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, the provincial police spokesperson, confirmed that police had initially requested that no information about Kotze’s disappearance be released to the public. The reason was that negotiations were already underway with the alleged abductors. Police did not want media coverage to jeopardize those talks. But now that the car has been found and the case is public, the focus has shifted to locating Kotze herself.
Mariana Kotze is not just any missing person. She is a well-known face in Afrikaans television. She appeared on Season 3 of Kokkedoor in 2019. The show is a popular cooking competition on kykNET. Kotze was noted for her creative approach to traditional South African dishes. She is originally from Standerton. After the show, she settled in Marloth Park, a wildlife estate near the Kruger National Park. The area is peaceful and beautiful. It is not the kind of place where people expect violent crime. But hijackings and kidnappings can happen anywhere in South Africa. The country has one of the highest crime rates in the world.
This case has joined a long list of high-profile kidnappings in South Africa. The country has seen a sharp increase in abductions over the past few years. Many of these cases involve wealthy individuals or well-known personalities. Kidnappers target people they believe can pay large ransoms. But sometimes, as in this case, the motives are unclear. No ransom demand has been made. No money has been taken from the accounts. So what do the kidnappers want? That is the question everyone is asking.
For now, police are urging anyone with information to come forward. Every detail matters. Even a small piece of information could help bring Kotze home safely. Her family is desperate for answers. They want to know where she is and whether she is okay. The community in Marloth Park and across Mpumalanga is rallying behind them. Social media has been flooded with messages of support and prayers for her safe return.
The next few days will be critical. Police are working around the clock to track down leads. They are analyzing the video footage from the shopping centre. They are also following up on any tips from the public. But time is of the essence. The longer someone is missing, the harder it becomes to find them. For Mariana Kotze’s family, every hour feels like an eternity. They are holding onto hope. They are praying for a miracle. And they are asking South Africa to help bring her home.
