In this Special Report, we take time to look at work being done to aid in finding missing children in SA at a time when cases are on the rise.

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza joins Emily Vacher, Facebook’s Director of Trust and Safety at the company’s offices in Johannesburg to discuss their partnership with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to help find missing children by sending Amber Alerts to the Facebook community in SA.

Through the Newsfeed feature on Facebook, the system will enable people to instantly share important information about a missing child and suspected abductor, such as a photo, hair colour and clothing with their friends, family and groups.

A former FBI agent having worked in the Child Abduction Team in the US, Vacher explains that the SAPS will assess each case against some set criteria before authorising Amber Alerts. The police will then notify Facebook, that a verified alert is active, then Facebook will send it to the news feeds of people located in targeted search areas in SA.