Mother and child rescued after carjacking and kidnapping in KaBokweni

Police and partner teams recovered a carjacked vehicle in KaBokweni on Tuesday, July 7, rescuing a mother and her young child after an assault and kidnapping, provincial police said.

Quick, coordinated recovery

Provincial police said the woman was ambushed by at least two heavily armed suspects, who assaulted her before forcing her to use her cellphone banking app to transfer an undisclosed amount of money. The suspects then forced the woman and her child into her vehicle and drove off.

A multidisciplinary recovery team comprising the provincial Anti-Hijacking Task Team, a private security task team and a vehicle tracking company located the stolen vehicle in Newscom, KaBokweni, where it had been hidden between two residential properties.

Victims found safe; suspects fled

According to police spokesperson Captain Mpho Nonyane-Mpe, the mother and child were found inside the vehicle. The suspects had ordered them to remain there after driving them into a nearby bush, but the suspects fled on foot just moments before law enforcement arrived.

The victims were rescued without further injury and have been reunited with their families, Captain Nonyane-Mpe said. KaBokweni SAPS has opened a case of carjacking, kidnapping and robbery with aggravating circumstances, and a manhunt for the suspects is under way.

Police appeal

Police are appealing to anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects to come forward by contacting Crime Stop.

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