2 kidnapping victims released amid organised crime fears in EC

The media and public scrutiny that followed the snatching of Alize van der Merwe has resulted in high-level investigations into the rising number of kidnappings in the Eastern Cape, believes a security expert.

Van der Merwe of Cape Town, who was kidnapped last Friday while travelling from East London along the N2 en route to a resort near Port St Johns on the Wild Coast, is one of the two women who were dropped off near Sulenkama Police Station in the OR Tambo District of the province at around 12:15 today.

The other victim is a Chinese woman, who Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana says cannot be identified at the moment. He says she was kidnapped last Tuesday ‘by unidentified suspects between Elliot and Barkley East’.

Organised crime network?

Andre Snyman from eblockwatch – a community safety forum – says Van der Merwe rented a white Toyota Fortuner from a car hire company and was driving to the resort. En route, she told her parents she was going to stop at a filling station.

He adds that security cameras show she turned onto a dirt road between Dumasi and the resort. The vehicle was later found on this road, with all her belongings still inside – and the wipers still on.

“At approximately 15:13, the family received a call informing them that Alize had been kidnapped. No further details were provided,” says Snyman.

A ransom demand was subsequently made.

Posts about her disappearance were shared by thousands of people, and Snyman says he received information from various sources. One tip-off, he says, aided in her eventual release as the person who contacted him knew someone who knew the whereabouts of her kidnappers.

Snyman adds that when he asked the person for a proof-of-life image of Van der Merwe, one was sent to him.

He claims that Van der Merwe and the unidentified Chinese woman were kept in the mountains in Umtata, and that they were released because Van der Merwe was seen as ‘hot property’. According to him, her kidnappers ‘considered trading or selling her to other groups’. This could not be confirmed.

Snyman alleges that kidnappings of Chinese and Pakistani nationals in the province are common and that families are ordered to pay up to R200 000 for their loved one’s release.

He believes that the uproar surrounding Van der Merwe’s disappearance has highlighted the negative impact of kidnappings on the hospitality and tourism sectors in the area.

“Now they [the government] have to do something about crime in the area, which is going to be positive. In a situation like this, everybody stands together. As eblockwatch, we will create a network with the hospitality industry, connecting them with the community communication system,” he explains.

Mhlakuvana echoes one of Snyman’s statements: That pressure forced the kidnappers to release the victims. However, he believes the tireless work of the Hawks investigators on the ground is to be praised.

He explains that the investigators went to ‘certain villages through their intelligence’ and says the police and Hawks ‘exerted pressure on the kidnappers’, which led to the two women being dropped off near the police station.

Mhlakuvana could not confirm whether a ransom was paid. He did confirm a shooting with alleged kidnappers in Keiskammahoek, in which four suspects were shot dead and one injured.

“The manhunt continued and led the team to the Qumbu area,” he adds.

He could also not confirm a shooting involving an alleged kingpin.

On the claim that the province is a hotspot for kidnappings, Mhlakuvana says that although there has been a concerning but ‘small increase in cases’, they are happy with their investigating team and the Hawks at large.

“We have intelligent investigators who are breaking through the cases,” he says, highlighting that several suspects are behind bars.

He adds that claims the Hawks were only made aware of the Chinese woman’s kidnapping while looking for Van der Merwe are untrue. ” Only the media were not told about the Chinese woman, but the Hawks investigated the matter from day one [September 17], immediately after she was kidnapped.”

Regarding the allegation that Van der Merwe’s kidnapping has created ‘political will’ to address crime in the province, he shared: “The Hawks are working independently. They are not being influenced, with no fear or favour. Our investigations are informed by the crime reported at a particular time. We are not influenced by any political party or politician. We investigate each crime on its merits.”