There have been growing concerns over the rate of kidnappings in KwaZulu-Natal.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said police were concerned over the increase in kidnapping cases that have been opened.
“The latest crimes stats released by the Minister of Police have indicated that KwaZulu-Natal has also shown an increase in hijackings for the first three months of the year.
“However, what is obvious is that the kidnappings accompany other crimes and they are an additional charge that is added to the docket when a crime is committed,” he said.
Naicker said the lead cause of kidnappings was robbery, followed by carjacking, rape, revenge or retaliation and domestic issues.
He also noted that there were lesser factors that contributed to kidnappings.
Asked whether this was indicative of a syndicate, Naicker said: “Due to varying motives across the province, there is no indication that there is a kidnapping syndicate, but rather syndicates that commit other crimes such as robbery and carjacking.
“The victims are released immediately after the criminals have gotten away with their crimes,” he said.
Naicker said that there were various strategies in place to combat these crimes, and advised community members to observe with caution at all times to avoid becoming victims.
“Communities are always urged to be observant and report any suspicious activities in their neighbourhoods to police. If you see something, say something,” he said.
Lizette Lancaster, manager of the Crime and Justice Information Hub at the Institute for Security Studies, said its team was also concerned about the sustained increases in key violent crime categories such as murder, and that often, the crimes were linked to syndicates.
“The quarter 4 2022/23 crime statistics released by the minister for the period January to March 2023 show a 10% increase in kidnapping from 3 306 in January to March 2022 to 3 641 in the period January to March 2023.
“Half of these kidnappings (50.3%) were reported in Gauteng, which saw a 17% increase in the number of kidnappings compared to the previous year. Nearly 11% took place in KZN, which saw a 10% increase,” she said.
Lancaster said that kidnappings typically took place with the aim of committing another crime, such as an armed robbery or a sexual offence.
She said that a small percentage of the reported kidnappings were linked to a kidnapping for ransom (3.2%), extortion or for the purposes of human trafficking (both at less than 1% of the 3 641 kidnappings recorded in the period January to March 2023).
Lancaster also noted that the victims’ fears to report these cases led to a distortion in figures.
“However, many of the kidnappings for ransom are not reported to the police because of fear of physical harm to the victims or their families. This means that we don’t know the real figure.
“Kidnappers also get away with multiple kidnappings because if the cases are not reported to the police, the police cannot investigate the crime and no convictions can take place,” she said.
Professor Nirmala Gopal, from discipline of Criminology and Forensic Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said there had been an increase in kidnapping, specifically of business owners.
Gopal said that there were a number of reasons that could be attributed for the kidnappings.
“As we witnessed an increase in kidnapping of family members and business people, the motive is money stemming from greed. Once the person has been kidnapped, a ransom demand follows. These demands sometimes go into millions of rands, hence one can deduce that it is greed that drives kidnappers. It’s a way to make easy money in their eyes,” she said, adding that the criminal justice system must have heavier sentencing or punishment options as a measure to curb the kidnappings.
She said that community members could play a role in curbing this scourge by demonstrating a sense of community to one another.
This comes after Pietermaritzburg teenager Marteen Khali, 17, was rescued in Umzinto by Hawks members from the Pietermaritzburg Serious Organised Crime Investigation working together with Crime Intelligence, Special Task Force and private security companies after being abducted while driving along Brixham Road at Roaisethorpe on May 24.
The suspects demanded an R11.5 million ransom from the family.
The first two suspects, Thulani Mncwabe and Thembinkosi Hadebe, briefly appeared in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday and were remanded in custody. They will reappear in the same court on June 13 for a bail application.
The other five suspects appeared in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s court on Wednesday. The matter was remanded for the translator to be present as the suspects were foreigners.
In another case, Sihle Mkhize and Siyabonga Maye appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Monday on charges of kidnapping, murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
They were charged in connection with the kidnapping of Chanlall Shan Dwarika, a lecturer at the Mangosuthu University of Technology.
Dwarika was kidnapped on May 28, and his body was found a few days later.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE