The South African Police Service (Saps) is on the hunt for Mozambican nationals linked to the kidnapping of Pretoria businessman Jerry Boshoga, whose name was last week brought up at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Alleged Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System.
This information was revealed by a source with intimate knowledge of Boshoga’s kidnapping case.
On Wednesday, national police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe would only say that the Saps has roped in the international police organization (Interpol) to assist them in finding Boshoga, who was kidnapped in Centurion, Pretoria, 10 months ago in November 2024.
Just before he disappeared, he was going to meet someone in Rooihuiskraal, Centurion.
“The investigations into the kidnapping case of Jerry Boshoga are ongoing, and the case is at a sensitive and advanced stage, with a multidisciplinary team still on the ground actively searching for the businessman. Crime intelligence is leading this investigation, with tactical units and organised crime investigations involved.
“We have also roped in Interpol to assist with cross-border investigations. We regularly update the family on the progress of investigations,” said Mathe.
A source with intimate knowledge of the investigations into Boshoga’s kidnapping said Mozambican nationals have been identified as suspects.
“There are potential suspects identified by police, especially Mozambican nationals. Once there is that, you need Interpol to intervene so that we do not struggle with boundaries when we have to fetch the suspects quickly from another country.
“Interpol has systems to check for foreign movement, flow of money and any foreign transactions,” said the source.
“You need Interpol to profile the suspects and put them under surveillance. In many cases, Mozambicans are involved in kidnapping syndicates. They do the whole planning.
Each person has a role. There are those who come with a stolen car to kidnap the victim [target]; there are those who demand ransom; there are those who change cellphone numbers and SIM cards. There are those who guard the victim and those who collect the funds,” said the source.
Boshoga’s name was thrust into the limelight this week during proceedings at the Madlanga commission of inquiry, chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.
During their testimony at the commission, sitting at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria, KwaZulu-Natal, police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and National Commissioner of Police Gen Fannie Masemola said on December 6, 2024, members of the Gauteng organised crime unit, assisted by 10 police officers from the KZN SAPS political killings task team, conducted a search operation at the house of attempted murder-accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Mkhwanazi and Masemola said the purpose of the search at Matlala’s Midstream Ridge house in Centurion was to look for the missing Boshoga.
Retired Interpol ambassador and security strategist Andy Mashaile said Saps’ decision to bring in Interpol in the Boshoga kidnapping means they suspect he is no longer in the country.
“Most victims of kidnapping and human trafficking from South Africa, for example, Indian businessmen, are rescued from Mozambique in most instances. When they invite Interpol, they want Interpol to search for them in the SADC region, in Central Africa and in East Africa,” said Mashaile.
Three weeks ago, a Mozambican kidnapping kingpin who goes by the nickname “Dollarman” was shot and killed during a confrontation with police officers near the R21 in Kempton Park, east of Johannesburg.
Dollarman was the alleged mastermind behind the kidnapping of an Indian businessman in July from his business premises in Benoni.
The businessman was found in a shack in Alexandra and safely reunited with his family.
Meanwhile, Matlala (49) is charged alongside his wife Tsakani (36), two alleged hitmen, Musa Kekana (35) and Tiego Floyd Mabusela (47), and Nthabiseng Nzama (23) for the October 2023 attempted murder of Matlala’s ex-lover Tebogo Thobejane.
Matlala was denied bail by the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court two weeks ago. He returns to court on October 7.
