Kidnapping scourge needs to be attacked from all angles

MThis form of crime has reached another level, and at the moment the perpetrators look smarter than the law enforcement agencies

any in the business community are living in fear as a group of bandits target them for ransom. They are kidnapped and money is paid in exchange for their release. Those who are not so fortunate are harmed or killed. In our province, those who have come forward to report these kidnappings are mostly foreigners. Many spoke to the Dispatch on condition of anonymity as they do not trust law enforcement agencies.

Incidents first emerged in the Chris Hani district and Mthatha, but now they have spread to East London.

The Dispatch reported in April that since January, 36 members of the Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Ethiopian communities had lost substantial amounts of money to unknown kidnappers near Komani and Mthatha.

At the time, 14 cases had been reported to the police. Another 22 were not reported because of fear.

In February, three people were arrested in East London, accused of extorting up to R1m from a businessman.

Last week, Nkangala district municipality manager Maggie Skhosana and her assistant disappeared without a trace.

Days later, they were found alive along the N14 in Johannesburg.

Last year, the kidnapping of the Moti children in Limpopo shocked South Africans.

The four brothers — Zidan, Zayyad, Alaan and Zia, all under 16, the youngest only 7 — were abducted, allegedly by seven gunmen while being driven from their home in Polokwane’s Nirvana suburb to the nearby Curro Heuwelkruin School.

A R50m ransom was demanded. The boys were released three weeks later.

Kidnappings have been rife across SA, with several more recent incidents reported in Cape Town.

The Hawks’ kidnapping task team is investigating some of these cases, so we are told.

But this form of crime has reached another level, and at the moment the perpetrators look smarter than the law enforcement agencies.

It is now up to the police intelligence to up their game. We call on private investigators to come to the party and help save SA from these heartless criminals.

Families of victims, when negotiating with these people, are often afraid to involve police.

But if they don’t, how can these criminals be tracked, arrested and prosecuted before another person becomes a victim?

Tourism and business investment, our main economic boosters, are at risk if SA earns a reputation as a lawless state. Let us not fold our hands; we all need to work together to crack this sinister criminal wave.