There’s still no sign of the South African teacher who disappeared in Vietnam earlier this year.

But John Bothma’s American girlfriend, Jody Kurash, and his family remain positive he’ll be found.

"I’ve had messages about John but nothing’s been confirmed,” says Jody, who’s also a teacher and met John last year in Vietnam.

"I’m planning on returning to Vietnam – before my tourist visa for Indonesia expires on 17 August."

Interpol is in contact with John’s family, Jody says. "I haven’t been contacted by the police since I left Vietnam. As far as I know, they haven’t contacted any of the people who were in contact with John before his disappearance."

John, who’s originally from Roodepoort in Johannesburg, was last seen in Ho Chi Minh City. But there’s been no sign of him since May 18. His cellphone is switched off.

John and Jody met in November 2018 when both were teaching English in Vietnam. They’ve been a couple since December and had been planning on reuniting in Vietnam later this year.

Jody last saw John on the morning of May 15. "We’d been to Da Nang in Vietnam for a beach holiday. We had such a good time."

She’d then caught a flight to Europe, as she now teaches English in Poland.

Their last conversation was early morning on May 18, about 11 weeks ago.

John’s aunt Santjie Dixon, who’d helped raise him, and his mother, Colleen, are in Vietnam at the moment to look for him. Santjie hadn’t wanted to say too much but did confirm they have someone helping them search for John.

"I’ll stay positive. John was a wonderful, considerate man who inspired me every morning when he told me, 'Have a positive day. I love you'," Jody says.