East London businessman reunited with family after kidnapping ordeal

An East London businessman who was kidnapped over the weekend was reunited with his family on Monday evening after his car was discovered burnt.

According to provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana, Radley Toody was found in a house in Phakamisa.

He was reportedly kidnapped by unknown assailants on Saturday evening.

“The kidnappers allegedly forced him to make transfers on different occasions between April 5 and the evening of April 7,” Gantana said.

“He reportedly managed to break free and was recovered by family members, who then called the police to the scene.”

He was taken to hospital for medical observation, treated for bruises and stab wounds on both thighs.

The suspects remain at large.

On Monday, police discovered Toody's burnt car outside the Bhisho state houses while searching for clues.

No body was found in the car.

Two people, a man and a woman from Schornville, were taken in for questioning on Sunday night and released in the early hours of Monday.

Toody, 32, who runs EL Auto Centre in Chiselhurst, went missing on Saturday night during a “car stance show” held at the Pirates Club in Qonce.

The annual event showcased a wide range of flashy customised vehicles with more than 100 enthusiasts and participants present.

The Kokstad-born car enthusiast’s burnt-out white VW Golf 7 GTI was later found on the roadside of the Bhisho off-ramp.

When the Dispatch team arrived, four forensic officers were searching the car which was heavily marked with stickers.

They refused to speak to the media, but one officer confirmed no body was found in the vehicle.

A group of detectives, BCM law enforcement and traffic officers, Toody’s family and the police K9 unit were also at the scene, while the Bhisho main road connecting to Independence Avenue was closed.

Toody’s brother, Chard, said they had rushed there after learning the car was found.

At the time, they had not heard anything about his whereabouts.

“I managed to find the person who was with him last. Her story is a bit confusing — it does not add up.

“We have had a lot of stories. We’re waiting for the detectives to gather their evidence so that we can have a direction.

“A lot has been said about what actually happened that night but we are worried and hope he comes back safely.”

A close friend who was with Toody at the car event said he had left the venue with one of the people who was later taken in for questioning on Sunday morning.

“He left with this woman at about 7pm. This was at the after-party of the event.

“They went wherever they went and his car returned to drop off the lady, and then left again.

“It was difficult to see who was driving but we saw it in the entrance of the gate and it left.”

By about 10pm on Saturday, Toody had not returned.

“We became worried. We asked the lady where they went and where he was, and she said they went to a BP garage to buy a pie. We are still awaiting the footage from the garage.”

The Dispatch can confirm the woman was present in Bhisho when the car was found.

The friend said: “His phone pin said [the phone] was in Schornville but it did not say exactly where because the pin shows a 50m radius.

“The person keeps switching it off but it showed the same radius on Sunday evening. Now it has gone off completely.”

At 5pm, Toody’s brother said his phone GPS had pinned in East London towards Mthatha.

“This is tiring because the pace is quite slow. We would like to see more pace on the case — we need the answers,” Chard said.

Car Stance and Dance organiser Ashley Fynn said: “Yes, I saw and shared on social media about him being missing. Unfortunately, we don’t know much detail as there were too many people at the event.”

A social media post shared on Facebook showed many vehicles, mostly VWs, both classic and new, being showcased at the event.

Toody’s missing person report had reached more than 1,200 shares on social media, with close relatives calling for his safe return.

The incident has led to many residents in Qonce calling for more visible policing in the area.

One social media user said: “Qonce has become the place of criminals. We need communities to come together to redeem our town.”

Another said: “Clearly, by burning his car, they were clearing the evidence. I hope he is safe and is returned to his family.”

Daily Dispatch