As Police Minister Bheki Cele announced crime statistics that showed a 17% increase in kidnappings in the Western Cape, a Cape Town constable became the second policeman to appear in court in connection with the abduction of two Delft foreign nationals.
Across the country, the number of reported kidnapping cases increased by 58.3% with the Free state and Kwazulu-Natal recording the biggest increases at 115.6% and 86.8%, respectively.
And despite the Western Cape not featuring in the top 30 stations for its 274 reported kidnappings between October and December, the province came in second place, after Gauteng, for the number of kidnappings where ransom was demanded and third place where extortion was a motive.
As the stats were being released, Constable Bongani Kameni, stationed at the Nyanga Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS), appeared in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court facing charges of kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
He is the second SAPS member who was arrested in this case.
Hawk’s spokesperson Warrant Officer Bonnie Nxumalo said he is the fifth suspect among the four accused Luvuyo Lwabi, Nicodimus Pasapanodya, Andrew Soko and Constable Ngangaphila Somagaca, attached to Table Bay SAPS, who are in custody.
“The suspect was arrested by the provincial Kidnapping Task Team consisting of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation, provincial Organised Crime, Crime Intelligence on Wednesday,” said Nxumalo.
The group is accused of nabbing two men from their home on Empress Tree Street in Thubelitsha, Delft, and then holding them hostage at a house on Crescent Road, Philippi East.
“The suspects allegedly made off with the victim’s vehicle, a blue Ford Ranger bakkie which was later recovered at an informal settlement near Faure Drive. The victims, who were seriously battered, were rescued by the investigation team and were taken for medical attention,” Nxumalo said.
On February 9, police rescued a 37-year-old Malawian man after he had been kidnapped the day before and found drugs and R20 000 cash at the house where the man was being held.
The trend of kidnapping foreign national business owners for ransom has become a trend in the province, which results in some cases going unreported.
Activists claimed that money lenders would be behind the kidnappings, as some business owners had large sums of money from the loans they took to start businesses when they arrive in the country.
Anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee said the under-reporting of cases remained a concern.
“Figures show that Gauteng remains the ransom capital of South Africa. While the numbers may have gone down in provinces like the Western Cape, we still find a lot of these incidents taking place (and) many people don’t report it to the police because they have no confidence in the police and also they fear reprisal,” he said.
“The kidnappers often warn the victims and the families not to speak to the police or report it, otherwise they will harm the victim and that is why people are scared.
“We know in the Eastern Cape the kidnappings have gone up substantially, and again a lot of people are not reporting it,” he said.
Abramjee added that while the police had made a number of breakthroughs and the task team that was set up has made some good inroads, more work needed to be done.
“Over a period of three months, we have had 120 ransom kidnappings alone that were reported.
“If the government can have a state of disaster for load shedding, I see no reason why we can’t have it for crime which is affecting tourism, locals and the economy,” Abramjee said.
He concluded that criminal syndicates are running amok and that the country is on the brink of a mafia state.
“Blood continues to flow, the mass murder numbers have gone up substantially, that’s an area of concern. Mob justice is rearing its ugly head more, simply because in my view, communities are losing confidence in the police service and the criminal justice system,” he said.
Weekend Argus