Cape Town woman Fatima Arendse is back home after a man allegedly drove off with her still inside his car while her two friends were at a Surrey Estate petrol station.
The 38-year-old returned home shortly before 11pm on Monday, October 26, 2026, after being missing for nearly 15 hours. Police officers took her statement in the early hours of Tuesday morning, while her family requested privacy.
The breakthrough follows an aggressive ground and digital campaign launched by her close friend Jade Pretorius after learning of her disappearance at about 8am on Monday. Relatives, friends and community members joined efforts to find Arendse, with appeals for information circulating on social media.
What happened at Surrey Estate petrol station?
At around 4am, after a night out near The Shack, Arendse and two childhood friends discovered that their phones were dead. They accepted a lift from an unknown male who offered to take them to Woodstock. The driver then took a 'detour', and the group found themselves in Surrey Estate.
When they stopped at an Engen petrol station in Surrey Estate, Arendse remained in the vehicle while her two friends went inside to buy some items after the night. Before they could return, the driver allegedly drove away with Arendse still inside.
Speaking while the search was still underway, Pretorius said: "Some guy drove off with her in his car while two friends were inside the petrol station, getting cigarettes. "This guy drove off with her, and she hasn't been seen or heard from since."
Based on descriptions from the two friends present, the suspect is a very tall Coloured man, estimated to be between 39 and 41 years old. He was wearing a cap, had a beard with no moustache, and had visible pimples on the back of his head. Garage attendants verified that the suspect's vehicle is an "oldish" white Nissan Almera.
According to Pretorius, staff observed that "the front didn't have a license plate and they couldn't see if the back had a license plate".
Timeline of Events:
4am: After a night out near The Shack, Fatima Arendse and two childhood friends found their mobile phones dead. They got a lift from an unknown man in a white Nissan Almera who offered to drive them to Woodstock.
Shortly After: The driver took a detour to an Engen petrol station in Surrey Estate. While the two friends went inside to buy items, the man drove off with Arendse still inside the vehicle.
8am: Close friend Jade Pretorius learned about the incident. She immediately launched a search and posted calls to action, bringing about a widespread amount of online awareness.
Present (15 hours later): Pretorius, Arendse's father and Fatima's boyfriend are attempting to work with the Mannenberg police to secure an official docket. They would require this docket to legally retrieve any CCTV footage for any matching characteristics of the suspect.
10:58pm, Monday (Resolution): Fatima Arendse safely returned home. Her family confirmed her return and requested privacy.