GAUTENG – A 60-year-old businessman has been dramatically rescued after spending six weeks in captivity, following an intense police operation that left two kidnappers dead and three others behind bars.
The rescue operation unfolded yesterday afternoon (10 July) in Randfontein when members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) anti-kidnapping task team stormed a house where the businessman was being held since his abduction on 29 May 2025.
Deadly confrontation in Randfontein
At approximately 15:15 on Thursday, intelligence-led police units descended on the Randfontein property where a fierce gun battle erupted. Two suspects were fatally wounded during the shootout, while three others were successfully apprehended by the police.
The businessman, who was initially kidnapped in Lenasia, has since been reunited with his family members after the harrowing six-week ordeal.
R15 million ransom demand
Following the May kidnapping, the victim’s family received ransom demands totaling at least R15 million from the criminal syndicate. Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that the rescue was the result of meticulous intelligence gathering and coordinated police work.
Gauteng’s growing kidnapping crisis
The successful rescue highlights the escalating kidnapping crisis plaguing Gauteng province. Official statistics reveal that between January and March 2025 alone, 144 kidnapping cases involving ransom demands were reported across the province.
However, police efforts have yielded significant results. Over the past two years, more than 170 kidnappers involved in ransom-related crimes have been arrested by the SAPS anti-kidnapping task team across Gauteng and other provinces.
This rescue follows another high-profile operation last month, when a Mozambican kidnapping kingpin was shot dead in Fourways during a tracing operation to locate a kidnapped Pakistani businessman.
You must be logged in to post a comment.