Randfontein attempted kidnapping survivor shares her ordeal

The young victim, her mother as well as a couple who have been dubbed heroes (all names withheld to protect the identity of the young victim) spoke to the Herald about what had happened that day.

According to the victim, she and a friend were walking to a shop in Greenhills at about 4.50pm. From there the two walked to their respective homes.

She explained that she was used to a lot of vehicles using that road every day, but suddenly, a light motor speeding in the direction she was walking, stopped right beside her. At first she didn’t pay attention to it, or take a good look to see how many people were inside the vehicle.

“But then a man jumped out of the back of the vehicle, ran around towards me and sprayed pepper spray in my face.

I had my phone in my left hand. He grabbed my left arm and it felt as if he was attempting to pull me closer to the vehicle rather than trying to grab the phone … as if it was planned.”

She added the attacker also never went for her handbag.

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Terrified, the young victim grabbed onto the rails of a complex wall and when her hand slipped, she fell to the ground.

“I didn’t scream but a couple who saw what was going on rushed to help me just in time. In the process and while I was still trying to get away from the attacker the man who had come to my rescue started shouting the vehicle registration number at the top of his voice.” He also noticed that the car’s back door was still open.

According to the couple, an unknown number of men inside the vehicle then signalled the attacker to get in and they drove off.

The couple took me to rinse my eyes and calmed me down. The man walked me home to make sure that I was safe.”

The following day they went to the police station to open a case of attempted kidnapping.

Sergeant Carmen Hendricks, the Randfontein Police spokesperson confirmed that a case of attempted kidnapping has been opened, and that the case docket confirms that a vehicle with the registration number JD 83 MT GP was used in the attempted kidnapping.

She added that one suspect has since been arrested.

The victim’s mother is worried because this is truly the most difficult situation that she has been in as a mother.

“How can a person try and steal someone’s child in broad daylight?” she asked, adding that she didn’t know what would have happened if the couple who helped her daughter weren’t home.

I don’t know what those men were planning to do with my child, but I know that it wasn’t something good. I know they did not have good intentions when they tried to take her.”

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She added that her heart hurts so much when she thinks that things could have been worse, but she is thankful that her child is safe.

The couple were also traumatised by what they had seen and went to check on the victim later that evening. The following day, they took them to the police station to make a statement.

“It is clear to us that the attack was directed at her, and not her belongings. What scared us the most is that we never sit at our dining room table and we saw this all by chance; if we hadn’t, it’s possible that she would have been taken and never seen again.”

This article was republished from Randfontein Herald with permission 

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