Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi says the force behind the kidnapping of spaza shop owner Mazwi Kubheka was a combination of South Africans and foreigners. The premier said this at a media briefing held at Vosloorus Police Station to provide an update following news that the kidnapping victim had presented himself at the police station on Sunday night.
Lesufi confirmed that he had received a full report with inputs from various stakeholders that were involved in the case.
“I want to state it categorically clear that this case is not closed. We believe that this case will assist us in resolving many other similar cases,” Lesufi said.
“We might have not arrested the said individuals yet, but the individuals are now known.”
Thanking the community for patience and co-operation since Kubheka was kidnapped while on his way to the bank on April 2, Lesufi said the time was now right to tell the nation what the law enforcement authorities have been doing up to so far. He said people needed to understand that certain information would have been too sensitive to divulge during the course of the investigation.
Lesufi was joined by Gauteng provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Tommy Mthombeni, ActionSA Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate Xiolani Khumalo, Ekurhuleni executive mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza and the kidnapping victim’s sister Nonhle Kubheka.
Scourge of kidnappings
Mthombeni reiterated Lesufi’s assertion that Kubheka’s kidnapping was just one of many in a province that is in the grip of a scourge of kidnappings. He said the police head office in Gauteng had set up a specialised unit focused on dealing with kidnapping cases.
“We have just cracked a case of kidnapping involving a Chinese girl. We have managed to recover the car that was used in the kidnapping as well as an AK 47 riffle,” Mthombeni said.
The police commissioner revealed that Kubheka had been kept in a hijacked building guarded by two Malawian nationals. He had been blindfolded most of the month-long ordeal.
Details remain sketchy as to how Kubheka was released by his captors. Mthombeni’s version that Kubheka was dropped off at Carnival City was contradicted by Kubheka’s sister Nonhle, who said the victim had been dropped off somewhere else but managed to hitch-hike to Carnival City.
Nonhle thanked community members for assistance throughout her brother’s ordeal. She also thanked “people with spiritual gifts” who also chipped in with divine assistance.
She raised concern about certain sentiments expressed on social media, which she deemed inappropriate. “Some people were saying Mazwi just rocked up at the police station. It is wrong to say he rocked up. It’s like saying my brother was just somewhere out there enjoying himself,” Nonhle lamented.
Khumalo, a famed crime buster said: “The community needs to be applauded. It was the noised that the people made that applied the necessary pressure that brought about this outcome. We cannot sit back while people are making money through crime.
- Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi confirmed that the kidnapping of spaza shop owner Mazwi Kubheka involved both South Africans and foreigners, with suspects now identified but not yet arrested.
- Kubheka was kidnapped on April 2 and held blindfolded for about a month in a hijacked building guarded by two Malawian nationals; details on his release remain unclear.
- Gauteng police have established a specialized unit to tackle increasing kidnapping cases, recently solving cases involving other victims and recovering weapons and vehicles.
- Community cooperation and public pressure were highlighted as crucial factors in the investigation's progress, with thanks extended to those who supported Kubheka and his family.
- Kubheka's sister criticized social media narratives that downplayed the severity of his ordeal, emphasizing the trauma he endured and rejecting claims he simply "rocked up" at the police station.
