Kidnap mayor speaks
God’s grace helped me survive ordeal 32 people to appear for attempted murder and arson charges
The police have made a breakthrough in the hijacking and kidnapping of Deputy Justice Minister Thabang Makwetla‚ arresting four suspects.
Police Minister Fikile Mbalula made the announcement last night.
Makwetla’s ordeal took place on Sunday, from about 7.30pm outside Life Riverfield Lodge Clinic in Randburg, Johannesburg. It ended hours later at Madidi in North West.
Makwetla was travelling alone in a Range Rover to visit ANC stalwart Wally Serote when he was accosted by the armed criminals at the hospital’s parking lot.
They forced him and the hospital’s security guards into his car.
Mbalula said a police task team followed up on reliable information and one of the suspects‚ a 24-year-old‚ was arrested in GaRankuwa on Monday.
He appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The other three suspects were arrested yesterday morning.
Mbalula said the fact that some of the suspects were repeat offenders pointed to problems in the criminal justice system.
“The question of recycled criminals in communities is a reality. Some of those people arrested there are linked to other cases. It’s not just people who have been first time offenders.
“They are basically people who have appeared before the courts. I want to commend the police for the [arrests]‚” he said.
Mbalula added that certain criminal cases were “withdrawn dubiously” and suspects continue to commit crimes in communities.
“The trio in custody will appear [with the other suspect] in the GaRankuwa Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of kidnapping and hijacking.” –