Another top businessman kidnapped

A PROMINENT Pretoria businessman is the latest to be kidnapped.

He was taken on Tuesday night and another businessman, who was driving the car they were in, was shot dead.

The kidnappers have allegedly demanded a ransom of R180 million for the safe return of Sikander Kalla.

In Cape Town, several businessmen have been kidnapped.

All the incidents have a similar modus operandi with the police unable to effect arrests.

More than a year after the owner

of Giant Sweets and Sweets for Africa, Mohammed Noor Karriem, was kidnapped, a veil of secrecy remains with policing failing to make any headway in his safe return.

Businessman Imtiaz “DK” Suleman was shot dead in an incident at about 5pm on Tuesday.

Farouk Hoosain tweeted about it in the evening, stating: “My beloved brethren in humanity. It is with great sadness I inform you all that the father of Madressah Hifzul Quran, uncle Sikander Kalla, was kidnapped today.”

Yesterday, the business fraternity and Laudium community awoke to the news that the boss of the Advance Cash and Carry had been snatched.

Reports indicated that the two were driving on Rebecca Street, Pretoria West, in a silver-grey Lexus when they were accosted.

They left Suleman’s body slumped behind the wheel of the car and fled with Kalla, according to a member of the Laudium business community who wished not to be named in fear of being targeted.

He said a ransom of R180m had since been made for Kalla’s return.

When contacted for comment, SAPS spokesperson Mathapelo Peters said they were unaware of the incident and could not confirm that Kalla had been kidnapped and Suleman killed.

However, anti-crime and community activist Yusuf Abramjee said the affected families were not yet ready to discuss the incident.

On social media, condolences were pouring in from the Muslim community, and people from other religious groups were asked to recite any paragraph of their choice as well as a Surah Yaseen for Kalla’s safe return.

In 2017, a businessman from the area, Omar Carrim, then 76, was kidnapped and was only released four months later.

At the time, it was feared there was a syndicate targeting businessmen in the area.