A twenty-year-old female was kidnapped on route to the Verulam Central Business District in Kwazulu Natal.
Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) was informed of the kidnapping by a male who reported that he intended meeting the victim in the Verulam CBD. While waiting for her arrival he received a ransom demand of R5000 from her profile via social media. The friend called her number and the phone was answered by an unknown male who informed him that she had been kidnapped. The suspect demanded money be sent via e-wallet before her release. the man immediately reported the matter to the RUSA Operations Center.
Details of the victim was circulated and Reaction Officers began searching for the victim. The South African Police Services (SAPS) & other Law Enforcement partners were informed of the incident.
Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) then received information that the female was dumped in a sugar cane plantation. After a lengthy search the woman was located in Waterloo – KZN. She was transported to that location by a taxi driver
who saw her exiting the cane fields.
When Reaction Officers interviewed the female, she informed them that she was a resident of Harare in Zimbabwe and had found employment at a call center (details withheld) in Ethekweni – KZN when she arrived in South Africa. Earlier today (Friday 11:45) she was walking to the Verulam CBD from Waterloo – KZN when she noticed a silver car with four (4) occupants. The vehicle stopped and the men produced SAPS Appointment Certificates identifying themselves as Policemen. While talking to her one of the men alighted the vehicle & a second male who they had stopped to search grabbed her. They forced her into the car and drove off.
According to the woman they the removed her mobile phone and questioned her at lenght regarding her family. The men then informed her that they needed money and began contacting her family and friends demanding a R5000 ransom. One of the suspects threatened to rape and kill her if the money was not sent to them. The victims mother, brother, sister and friends were contacted telephonically for the ransom.
While negotiating the ransom the men drove to Umdloti Beach, Umhlanga Rocks & along the N2 Freeway. She was eventually dumped in the sugar cane field and robbed of her mobile phone & bank cards when the family failed to pay the ransom after several hours.
The woman was not injured.
