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Despite a dip in cash-in-transit cases in recent weeks, an alarming rate of kidnappings has kept provincial organised crime detectives hard at work as two men were abducted in Gonubie on Monday night — pushing the number of kidnappings to seven people in just two weeks.
The two men, aged between 20 and 26, were kidnapped from inside Mohammadia Supermarket in Gonubie by seven men at about 10.45pm.
CCTV footage shared with the Dispatch shows a white seven-seater Suzuki Ertiga with tinted windows and no rear number plate making its way into the business’s parking lot.
Five masked men can be seen making their way inside the shop with two others, including the driver, remaining outside.
Other footage shows what transpired inside the shop, where two of the five kidnappers are seen carrying guns and pointing them at one of the victims who is in front of the till.
He is then dragged over the counter, out the shop and into the car.
A second victim is dragged from the storage room.
The cash tills are then emptied and stock is taken from shelves.
The entire incident took just two minutes.
Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa said the kidnappers left the shop doors open when they left, which was discovered by security who then alerted the owner.
“No ransom request has been received by the family or the shop owner yet,” Mawisa said late on Tuesday afternoon.
Mawisa said a kidnapping case has been opened.
Bangladeshi community members close to the case said no ransom demands had been made by the time of publication.
“It has been quiet today, no-one has said anything. Some relatives will meet in Quigney today over the matter,” one source said.
The shop continued operating on Tuesday.
Community activist Amanda Timms, who has social media groups dedicated to fighting crime, said the rise in kidnappings was worrying.
She said not much had been said about the incident to protect the wellbeing of the victims.
“There hasn’t been too much talk about it because they still haven’t been found. It is very sensitive at the moment.
“These cases coming close to Christmas is really bad. It is actually out of control, it needs everyone to come together because it is getting worse.”
Five people were kidnapped in East London and surrounding towns in three separate incidents last week.
Two elderly women and a man who were kidnapped more than a week ago in Kei Mouth were released on Saturday.
The three, aged between 66 and 76, were abducted on a trip to a local restaurant.
Their vehicle was found abandoned at a ferry at Kei Mouth.
Meanwhile, the body of a man who was kidnapped in Cambridge on Sunday was discovered on Monday on the N2 between East London and Qonce. He had been tied up and stabbed.
On the same day, a Pakistani national was kidnapped at his store in Wesley on the R72 in Peddie and a R1m ransom demand was made the next day.
According to the victim’s family, he was released and reunited with his family in the early hours of Friday in Qonce after a ransom amount substantially less than the R1m was paid.
It is believed the money was dropped off at Ginsburg and five minutes later, the victim was released.
Provincial Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said the recent surge in kidnappings was becoming a big concern.
“The Hawks are very concerned about the kidnappings in the province.
“However, they are adamant they will get to the bottom of these violent crimes.
“So far, the Hawks believe they have almost overcome the scourge of cash-in-transit heists.
“It is, therefore, possible to beat this mushrooming scourge of kidnapping.”
During the release of crime statistics for the fourth quarter of 2023/2024 and the first quarter of 2024/2025, police minister Senzo Mchunu said the number of kidnapping cases was decreasing.
The head of communications at the police ministry, Major-General Nonkululeko Phokane, said the new police minister had deployed more resources to fight crime.
“There has been deployment of the Tactical Response Team, the National Intervention Unit, crime intelligence, detectives and public order policing to ensure that the rampant crime in the Eastern Cape is dealt with.”
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