'It's becoming like Mexico' - South Africa's terrifying kidnapping crime trend
As many as three extortion-motivated kidnappings are taking place each week in South Africa says the United Public Safety Front.
- Kidnappings and extortion targeting foreign nationals have become rife on the Cape Flats.
- As many as three extortion-motivated kidnappings are taking place each week in South Africa.
As many as three extortion-motivated kidnappings are taking place each week in South Africa.The growing trend of this type of crime seems to target wealthy business people and their children.
Earlier this year, the young Moti brothers were kidnapped in Polokwane and held for three weeks, while Cape Town businessman Ismail Rajah was taken in front of his business in Parow in March.
Imraahn Mukkadan is the regional coordinator at United Public Safety Front, he says they've seen an increase in this type of organised crime since the Covid pandemic. The other lucrative income streams for your major crime syndicates quieted down and they were looking for alternatives. We're seeing one, two, three kidnappings each week. These kidnappings involving foreign nationals (including Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian, Chinese and Somali nationals) have become rife along the Cape Flats. The prevalence of these abductions is such that now the Bangladeshi community has begun to make provision for extortion crimes of this nature, says Mukkadan. Like an internal insurance that they have to make provision for. That's how bad it is. On Wednesday, six-year-old Shanawaaz Asghar, was abducted at gunpoint in Kensington. There've been no arrests and the motive for the kidnapping is unclear. But Mukkadan says there has been speculation that the kidnapping could be connected to his father's business. He is a Pakistani national's child, and we believe it has to do with his father's business.
Guest on the line: Russell Jones of Security Sprays