Gqeberha businessman rescued after six-day kidnap ordeal

Amid a spate of high-profile kidnappings in the country, Gqeberha businessman Kelvin Naidoo was rescued by a Hawks task team in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The 51-year-old business leader and director of battery manufacturer Auto X was held for ransom for almost a week.

Naidoo is also the vice president of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber.

Businessman Kelvin Naidoo rescued unharmed

Hawks provincial spokesperson Yolisa Mgolodela confirmed to The Citizen that the businessman was rescued unharmed and had been reunited with his family.

Naidoo was kidnapped last Friday morning at about 6 am from the Auto X factory on Lindsay Road, in Korsten. 

Police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said Naidoo was ambushed by a Nissan NP200 bakkie as he was driving towards the factory in his black Mercedes-Benz, forcing him to stop.

Another bakkie stopped behind him and five suspects wearing balaclavas got out. 

They pulled Naidoo from his vehicle, forced him into the bakkie and drove off, leaving the NP200 and Naidoo’s car at the scene.

The police later discovered that the bakkie had been reported as hijacked in Motherwell last month.

Details of rescue to follow

The Hawks stepped in and took over the investigation as soon as a ransom demand for Naidoo’s release was made a few hours later.

Earlier media reports suggested that a ransom of R10 million was demanded. Mgolodela, however, told The Citizen the Hawks “do not comment on ransom details”.

 More detailed information of Naidoo’s rescue and any arrests will be released later today, she added.

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