An Eastern Cape teacher from Happydale Special School in Gqeberha has been reported missing after she was abducted by three unknown men on Monday.
The three armed men broke into the school parking lot, pushed the 45-year-old teacher into a white Toyota Corolla, and drove off with her.
According to police spokesperson, Captain Andre Beetge, Algoa Park officers were notified of the incident in the morning.
Police notified of incident
“SAPS can confirm that a 45-year-old female staff member at the school was kidnapped by at least three male suspects just after her arrival at the school in her grey Toyota Fortuner. The suspects, using a white Toyota Corolla, forcibly took her into their vehicle and fled the scene,” said Beetge.
Eastern Cape Department of Education MEC, Fundile Gade, has since condemned the kidnapping.
Gade said the kidnapping of educators is the worst thing to ever happen to the education sector.
Department condemns incident
“Actions of this nature seek to undermine the hard-earned democratic right to life, in a free country. We call upon all citizens of the Metro (NMB) to eject these elements in our society through working with the police and Community Policing Forum,” he said.
He further called on the police to help bring back the educator to her family and the education sector.
“We urge the police and all law enforcement agencies to bring her back. This has left her family, colleagues, and learners of the school in distress.”
Task team dispatched to school
A multi-disciplinary team of officials from the department, said Gade, has been dispatched to assist the school cope with this incident.
“These teams will assist the school through the provision of psychosocial support for counselling and debriefing. The matter is still under investigation by the police,” he added.
No suspect has been apprehended yet.
