Kidnapping: Agonising wait continues as police widen search net

POLOKWANE – The four Moti brothers are still not home safely.

It has now been almost 24 hours since a group of armed men forcefully took Zidan (6), Zayyad (11), Alaan (13) and Zia (15) Moti from the vehicle in which they were being driven to school.

Read more: Kidnapping: Driver left behind; cops locate kids’ phones

This morning, police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo confirmed that the children have not been located yet. “We have established a multi-faceted team of investigators and other role players with the relevant expertise to handle such a case. This team is led by the deputy provincial commissioner responsible for crime detection, Major General Samuel Manala.”

The Moti family’s agonising wait continues as a source close to the investigation yesterday evening unofficially confirmed that leads are being followed up about the children possibly having been driven to another province, but due to the sensitivity of the investigation more information cannot be made public.

https://www.citizen.co.za/review-online/518443/kidnapping-moti-family-appeals-to-the-public-to-assist/

On Wednesday (October 20) the police launched a massive manhunt for the seven men believed to be involved in the incident that occurred yesterday morning. Provincial police commissioner Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe ordered a high-level search operation that also involves the SAPS Airwing, as well as private security forces. The source told Review that these operations now include parts of other provinces.

By yesterday afternoon, the family appealed to the public to assist by supplying any CCTV footage that might be helpful. According to the CEO of Mighty Tactical Reaction Services, Shaahid Valjie, the two vehicles involved have been identified as a silver-grey or champagne-coloured Kia and a black Mercedez-Benz, both with no registration plates.

In the meantime, politicians and media personalities have also taken to social media expressing that the perpetrators be brought to book and the boys be returned safely.

Curro’s post was a call for action to get the Moti brothers home.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Development has dispatched a team of social workers to support the Moti family in their ordeal. MEC Nkakareng Rakgoale said in a statement that the violent way in which the children were taken is disturbing and their safety a matter of serious concern.

https://www.citizen.co.za/review-online/518538/kidnapping-we-can-only-try-to-imagine-what-the-moti-family-is-going-through-mec/