Singer Langa Mavuso. Picture: Supplied
South African musician Langa Mavuso spent an agonising wait overnight on Tuesday to hear if his mother was safe.
The Mvula hitmaker took to social media to recount how his mother was hijacked and kidnapped in the south of Johannesburg on Tuesday evening.
“If you witnessed a hijacking in the Mondeor area yesterday afternoon, please DM me. My mom and her car were last located in the Power Park area around 7pm,” he said in a plea for help.
He claimed initial attempts to get a professional tracking company to help find her were unsuccessful, leaving him frustrated, disappointed and anxious.
READ MORE: Q&A with Langa Mavuso as White Star urges South Africans to keep the beat alive
“How do I sleep not knowing where my mother is? How do I close my eyes? Where is my mom?”
As the wait extended until the morning, Mavuso finally got the good news he had been hoping for. His mother had been found in Naturena. The thieves had made off with her car, cellphones and laptops.
“Thank you for your prayers, raising awareness, assistance and calls. I am grateful.
“God has been kind to us. I would never wish such an experience on anyone. Siyabonga imithandazo”
Police reported that between October and November last year, it registered over 5,600 cases of vehicle hijackings. This was a reduction from the 6,009 cars in the three months before it.
Despite the decline, SA is still unsafe for many drivers, with around 61 cars stolen daily.
READ MORE: The most dangerous hijacking hotspots you should avoid
Among the hotspots, reported BusinessTech, are Nyanga, Harare, Phillipi East, and Khayelitsha in Cape Town; Olivenhoutbosch, Tembisa, and Pretoria West in Tshwane; Ivory Park in Ekurhuleni; Midrand in Johannesburg; and Umlazi in eThekwini.
Mavuso lost his partner, celebrity chef Lentswe Bhengu-Mafoko, last February after a short illness.
Recounting moments of their time together, Mavuso said his bae’s death “hurt like hell”.
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