Two people have been arrested after a 25-year-old kidnapped woman was rescued in Western Cape.
On Thursday, a multi-disciplinary Anti-Kidnapping Investigation Task Team, supported by the Provincial Operations Command Centre Combat Unit, detectives and crime intelligence, among others, embarked on a takedown operation.
This followed further investigation into the kidnapping incident of February 5. It is linked to house robbery that occurred in Strand on January 26.
The investigation led the team to premises situated in Site B off Mew Way in Khayelitsha yesterday, where they search and found two firearms and 200 rounds of different calibres of ammunition.
“Subsequent to the discovery, the members arrested a 29-year-old suspect. They seized the firearms, ammunition, and two tortoises that were kept in custody without a permit. The members also found small amounts of drugs that were seized,” said the SAPS in a statement on Friday.
House-to-house raid
The members proceeded to another house, where they found the kidnapped woman. She was rescued, while another 22-year-old female suspect was arrested.
The suspects face charges related to unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. Also possession of presumed stolen property, illegal possession of drugs. A charge of keeping of wild animals in captivity without a permit was also added.
The two are expected to appear in the Khayelitsha magistrates court once charged.
According to SAPS statistics, 3,641 cases of kidnapping were registered in South Africa. This in the first quarter of 2023/2024 (April to June 2023).
Kidnappings now a worrying trend
The harrowing kidnapping picture in the country was revealed in October 2023, when police released quarterly crime statistics.
Kidnappings are recorded in all nine provinces, with Gauteng being the hardest hit, followed by KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
The Northern Cape and Free State, the least populated provinces of South Africa, recorded the lowest number.
Gauteng’s top hotspots for kidnappings have been identified as Vosloorus, Thembisa (both in Ekurhuleni). Also Midrand, Protea (Soweto) and Orange Farm in Johannesburg.
In KZN, all the top five kidnapping-high-risk areas are located in the eThwekini metro. These are Umlazi, Inanda, Durban Central, Pinetown and Ntuzuma. – SAnews.gov.za
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