Members of the Provincial Task Team and Tzaneen Tracking Team have launched a manhunt for a group of suspects using social media to lure unsuspecting job seekers about non-existing employment and end up kidnapping them, robbing them, and then going to an extent of humiliating them to extort more money from relatives. This is after three victims were brought to Tzaneen police station by a motorist on Sunday, 29 May 2022 after they allegedly suffered a life-threatening and humiliating ordeal at the hands of kidnappers.
The three victims, a male person aged 27 and two women aged 21 and 33 respectively, allegedly responded to an advert on Facebook about employment in Tzaneen. The unsuspecting victims boarded taxis from Jane Furse, Groblersdal and Thohoyandou respectively after they were individually directed by the suspects through WhatsApp to a certain spot in Tzaneen for job opportunities.
The four suspects were waiting for the victims at a filling station in Tzaneen and thereafter boarded a taxi towards Bolobedu. They then disembarked along the way and took the victims to a secluded bushy area where they allegedly robbed them of their cellphones, money, and clothes contained in a bag. They then ordered them to strip naked, took pictures, and sent them to the family of one of the victims, and demanded money for their release.
The suspects then allegedly ordered the male victim to rape one of the women. The victims were found by a motorist along the road hitchhiking and took them to Tzaneen police station at about 11:00 this morning.
The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has warned community members, especially job seekers to be extra careful when seeking employment and be wary of advertisements on social media platforms.
The Police have opened cases of kidnapping, rape, and robbery. Community members are requested to provide the Police with any information that can lead to the arrest of suspects.
Anyone with information may contact Lieutenant Colonel Tshinyadzo Roday Ndou on 082 807 2666, the crime stop number 08600 10111, the nearest police station, or My SAPSApp.
The Police investigations are continuing.