Three people have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping of a 62-year-old woman in Gqeberha on Wednesday last week.
They are due to appear in court today, The Herald reports.
“This outcome was achieved through the swift and co-ordinated efforts of a dedicated kidnapping task team, working closely with specialised South African Police Service units and private security partners,” Hawks spokesperson Lt-Col Avele Fumba said.
“The victim was medically examined and found to be in good health before being safely reunited with her family.”
She was abducted on August 20 while driving home from work.
Civic anti-crime activist Andre Snyman from eblockwatch, who assisted in the case, confirmed she was home and said, “The only comment that I received is that she and her family have a totally new respect for the cops.”
Algoa FM radio reports she was the third person to be abducted in the metro in just two weeks.
A 73-year-old woman was kidnapped outside her home in Fairbridge Heights in Kariega (formerly Uitenhage) on August 11. She was released after a week. A ransom demand was made by the abductors. Two suspects were arrested in connection with the case. Two days later, a 47-year-old man was kidnapped in Neave Township and was dropped off unharmed in the Motherwell area the following day.
This is the latest in a string of kidnappings for ransom in the province, which have targeted businesspeople, construction companies, tourists and shopkeepers.
