'Kokkedoor' star Mariana Kotze located in Kempton Park amid mystery surrounding her disappearance

The search for reality TV star Mariana Kotze has come to an end but the mystery surrounding her disappearance is only just beginning.

Mpumalanga police confirmed on Wednesday, February 4, that the season 3 "Kokkedoor" contestant has been located in Kempton Park, safe but under a cloud of investigation.

Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane confirmed that while Kotze has been found, the case is far from closed.

"We have located her in Kempton Park, however police are still investigating the case due to the circumstances surrounding the case," said Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane.

"She was allegedly hijacked and kidnapped, however footage showed her walking alone with her bags. So we need to find out the nitty gritty of the case."

The drama began on Monday, February 2, when Kotze left her Marloth Park home for a routine grocery run in her silver Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. 

Fears for her safety spiked after her husband, Boland Kotze, allegedly received a threatening WhatsApp voice message from an unknown number said to be from the alleged hijackers instructing him not to block or close their bank accounts.

By Tuesday, February 3, police were treating the case as a high-priority kidnapping, even requesting a media blackout to facilitate sensitive negotiations.

Earlier today, (Wednesday) her car was found abandoned at the Sonpark Boulevard shopping center in Mbombela (Nelspruit).

Following that, expectations of a crime scene were quickly replaced by confusion as surveillance footage, which has since gone viral, showed the 67-year-old exiting the vehicle alone.

Far from looking like a victim of a forced abduction, Kotze was seen carrying two large hand-held luggage bags.

Watch the video below.

A secondary image surfaced showing Kotze as a passenger on a shuttle service. 

When reached for comment by "Independent Media Lifestyle", her husband, Boland Kotze, remained tight-lipped amidst the swirling speculation.

"I don't have anything to say," he said, declining to comment on the viral footage or his wife's current status.

Kotze is a well-known reality star who gained national recognition in 2019 as a contestant on season 3 of "Kokkedoor".

Originally from Standerton, she was celebrated on the show for her creative take on traditional Afrikaans "boerekos".

Her fellow contestants have described her as a warm, community-oriented person.