Family Reunion : Emotional reunion after 31 years

By Matthew Ramsden

EAST LONDON -- After 31 years without contact, a Johannesburg man has been reunited with his daughter here in East London -- thanks to the Daily Dispatch. Handyman Dougie Peters, 59, has not seen his only child, Marlene Peters, 33, who now lives in Quigney, since he left this area in 1968 after domestic difficulties forced a breakdown in his relationship with his in-laws. Having decided "it was best" to make a new life for himself, Peters worked as a policeman and car salesman in Johannesburg and Namibia. He lives in a modest flat in the Hillbrow district. With the millennium approaching, Peters decided to appeal to the Daily Dispatch for help in finding his daughter as "enough was enough". On Wednesday this week the paper printed a letter from Peters appealing to anyone who knew the whereabouts of his daughter to call him. Within hours of the Dispatch hitting the streets, callers to the newsroom revealed that Marlene worked in the accounts department of a city centre car dealership. She was soon contacted, but was understandably shocked by the sudden development in her life. It was agreed that the Dispatch would help her discover details about her long-lost father as a telephone number he had given remained unanswered. Private investigator Christian Botha was contacted and went to work on compiling a profile. He soon found out that Peters lived in a flat in Hillbrow and was without permanent work. Botha then persuaded a neighbour of Peters to get him to contact the Daily Dispatch. The 59-year-old revealed how he wanted to reconcile with his daughter and prayed every day that he would see her again. It was then organised for a photographer from the Saturday Star newspaper in Johannesburg to photograph Peters and e-mail it to the Daily Dispatch. Yesterday afternoon a news team visited Marlene at her Quigney home and showed her the picture of her father, apparently praying. She decided that she would call and introduce herself and last night they spoke for the first time in 31 years. Peters reported that they now wish to meet up "sometime, somehow" so that they can start to build a relationship. "I can't describe what is was like to speak to her, it was fantastic, amazing to think that poor little girl I left there in 1968 is now a grown up, intelligent lady," he said emotionally.

Courtesy of Daily Dispatch