One of the two men who were kidnapped from a shop in Gonubie on Monday night escaped from captivity from a shack in Mzamomhle on Wednesday evening.
This is just a few kilometres from where the pair were forcefully abducted.
The 16-year-old, according to an updated police report, was one of the two Bangladesh nationals who were dragged from the Mahommadia store in Gonubie by seven suspects.
A statement from the police had initially recorded the victims aged between 20 and 26.
East London police spokesperson Captain Hazel Mqala said Community Forum members brought the matter to the attention of the Gonubie police.
“Upon arrival, police met the victim, a 16-year-old Bangladeshi, who told them he had been brought to a shack in Mzamomhle the previous night, tied up, and had his eyes covered,” she said.
“Late today [Wednesday], he heard that there was no movement in the shack and removed the cloth from his eyes, opened the door and ran away for help.”
The victim had no injuries.
According to a resident, known to the Dispatch, the victim fled through Mzamomhle's A-section seeking assistance.
The victim is said to have been chased by the community and was taken to a place of safety before the police were called.
The second victim, aged 26, was released on Wednesday morning.
A reliable source told the Dispatch a ransom was paid for both victims.
However, only one victim was initially released.
Details of how the first victim was released are sketchy.
CCTV footage of the raid shared with the Dispatch had shown 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 taken from shelves.
The entire incident took just two minutes.
Six of the seven people who were kidnapped in the past two weeks were returned, with only one fatality recorded.
The only fatality recorded was of a man who was kidnapped in Cambridge two weeks ago.
His body was discovered the following day on the N2 between East London and Qonce.
He had been tied up and stabbed.
To rescue unharmed victims, thousands of rand had been paid to abductors in cash during well-orchestrated drop-offs.
Provincial Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana previously 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.”
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