Durban - WEALTHY businessmen are once again being kidnapped, this time allegedly by copycat gangs.
Yusuf Abramjee, a crime activist, said in recent weeks three businessmen had been kidnapped from their shops in Fordsburg, Gauteng.
“The men were returned to their families after their families had paid ransoms starting from R50000,” said Abramjee.
“The issue of kidnappings is not new to South Africa. It started in Mozambique where businessmen were being targeted a few years ago, and it has now spilled over to South Africa. These syndicates that initially operated had international links and would run full intelligence on their victims.”
Abramjee said from the videos of the recent kidnappings, the way they were executed was amateurish.
“The kidnappers look like copycat gangs. From the videos, the kidnappings look like they are random. These gangs tend to demand smaller amounts of money, usually starting at R50000.”
Abramjee said wealthy businessmen were the target.
“South Africans, Pakistanis, Somalians and Ethiopians have all been targeted. The modus operandi is the same. Kidnap them and then request the ransom. Families are sent videos of their loved ones being held captive. Then demands are made telephonically.”
He said a specialised unit was needed to investigate these crimes.
“We need highly skilled detectives. We need our hostage negotiators to be properly trained to improve their skills.”
Gareth Newham, from the Institute for Security Studies, believed the kidnappings were well planned.
“We’ve seen wealthy South Africans and foreign nationals being targeted. The kidnappings are not random. The kidnappers are professionals. The kidnappings are well-planned and researched.”
Newham said the kidnappers knew everything about their victims in terms of how wealthy they were.
“They already have an idea of how much they are worth. In most cases, when families are contacted for ransoms, they are told not to engage with the police or else their relatives would be killed.
“The cases are treated with sensitivity, especially with the police.”
He said another scenario was businessmen who were involved in illicit dealings, who were kidnapped for their money because deals went wrong.
“Here, the kidnappers already know how much they are worth and, to make up the money they have lost, they will demand money from the family. They’re also aware that the family will not go to the police because the victim will be exposed for his illicit dealings.”
Last week, Mohammed Azeem Amod, 45, a businessman, was released after he was kidnapped from his family’s restaurant in Norwood, Gauteng, last Saturday.
It is alleged that two armed men had taken him at gunpoint.
Earlier this month, businessman Shaiful Islam, 43, was reported missing. His white Toyota Hilux bakkie was found in a parking bay outside Parkweg police station in Bloemfontein.
Brigadier Motantsi Makhele, a police spokesperson, said Islam’s family received anonymous calls demanding ransom money.
“On Friday evening, police arrested the first suspect, a 50-year-old, in Hilton, Bloemfontein. His arrest led to the arrest of the second suspect, 36, and the third suspect, 39. All of them are foreign nationals,” said Makhele.
He added that Islam was found in Springfontein, where he was held captive.
In July, a 72-year-old Indian national businessman was kidnapped. According to a report by The Star, the suspects allegedly demanded a ransom of over R1million from his family.
The suspects also withdrew thousands of rand from his bank account. Three suspects, believed to be linked to the kidnapping, were arrested. The matter is still under investigation.
Brigadier Vish Naidoo, the national police spokesperson, said it had not been established if a syndicate was operating in South Africa.
“We have made arrests in some cases. Each case and each suspect is investigated on its own merit.”
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