According to Warrant Officer Daniel Mavimbela, head of communications for the Diepsloot police, the mother and her child had been kept hostage in the shack since 1 January. Four men aged between 28 and 34 have been arrested for kidnapping.
Mavimbela said reports suggested that the woman and her baby had travelled with the suspects from Zimbabwe. The agreed fare was R300, however before the mother could reach her desired destination, which was Brits, the fare was inflated to R1 500, which she could not pay.
The suspects apparently called the woman’s husband, who was staying in Brits, and threatened that unless he paid ransom, he would never see his wife and daughter again. The husband did not have the cash to pay and therefore alerted the police to the situation on the afternoon of 6 January.
A tactical intervention was carried through by the Diepsloot Police Tracing Unit, which led to the apprehension of the suspects in Diepsloot Ext 1. The police then swooped in to rescue the mother and baby in Ext 6.
The mother and her child were taken for a paramedical examination where it was discovered that the child was severely dehydrated and had to be given oxygen. Mavimbela said the mother had only been given soft drinks since the kidnapping on 1 January. He added that police officers ensured the mother and her baby were hydrated and nourished properly before being transported to Brits.
The suspects will be charged with kidnapping and are expected to appear in the Randburg Magistrates’ Court soon.
