Police shoot-out leads to rescue of hijacked and kidnapped victim in Gauteng

Police found a man with his hands tied at the back after stopping a suspicious-looking car in Krugersdorp. Photo: Supplied/SAPS

Police found a man with his hands tied at the back after stopping a suspicious-looking car in Krugersdorp. Photo: Supplied/SAPS

Published Oct 2, 2024

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Gauteng police rescued a man who was hijacked and kidnapped in Centurion, Pretoria.

Police rescued the man while they were driving from Leratong Hospital in Krugersdorp, Johannesburg.

Police spokesperson, Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said while police were driving, they noticed a suspicious-looking vehicle.

“Upon trying to stop the vehicle, one of the occupants pointed a firearm and the members shot back resulting in the suspects stopping their vehicle. When searched, police found two suspects and one man with his hands tied to the back,” said Nevhuhulwi.

Nevhuhulwi said it was later established that the victim was hijacked and kidnapped on Tuesday morning at Centurion.

“Preliminary investigation led the police to the third suspect in Naledi who was found in possession of the victim's hijacked bakkie,” explained Nevhuhulwi.

Nevhuhulwi said three suspects were arrested and are expected to appear before court on charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, hijacking and possession of unlicensed firearm.

Meanwhile, three suspects, including a couple, appeared in the Port St John Magistrate’s Court in connection with the kidnapping of Alize van der Merwe.

Eastern Cape police said the suspects are allegedly part of a syndicate that kidnapped Van der Merwe, 39, and another Chinese national, aged 34, in the past two weeks.

Van der Merwe was kidnapped on September 20, 2024, while travelling from East London to a resort in Port St Johns.

The 34-year-old Chinese national was snatched on September 17, 2024, between Elliot and Barkley East.

Both women were released by September 26, 2024.

sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za

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