Foreign businessmen living and trading in South Africa, are in panic mode as more of their own have become targets of kidnappings and even executions, spearheaded by their very own countrymen.
A number of mainly Pakistani nationals have recently been kidnapped and even killed in South Africa, which has spilled over, with many local businessmen also being kidnapped. In the latest incident, Pakistani national, Majeed Khan, of Schekel Crescent, Eldoglen, was slain after he and his passenger were shot at several times this past Wednesday, on the M1 North highway at 5pm, during peak traffic time.
According to witnesses three armed thugs ran down the highway, near the Glenhove off ramp while cars were at a standstill because of the traffic jam. “These brazen thugs ran past my car with guns in their hands as we were standing on the highway. It was obvious that they were looking for a specific car. Then, I heard a whole lot of shots and saw these guys running across the highway again. There is no more law and order in our country and criminals have become fearless. I never expected thugs to attack like this, on the highway and during peak traffic time, with hundreds of motorists around,” said sales rep, Yasin Ahmed of Laudium.
Other witnesses have stated that the thugs smashed the car window of the white Audi A4, that Majeed was driving, and started pumping bullets into him with some bullets hitting his passenger. The thugs are believed to have first shot the tyres of the Audi so that Majeed could not escape. Majeed was certified dead on the scene, while the passenger was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. It is believed that Majeed was heavily involved in the hawala business, trading from the Oriental Plaza in Fordsburg.
Hawala
For a while now, many residents have been calling the Laudium Sun stating that most of the ‘Indian’ businessmen who have fallen victim to kidnapping and even murder, were involved in ‘hawala’. Hawala is when cash is given by a payee, informally, to a non-banker in one country and the money is received by the payee nominated recipient in another country, bypassing all laws and rules of both countries. Many business people use this system to pay suppliers for goods purchased, so that prices on invoicing are drastically reduced, thus avoiding taxes such as import duties and others.
*A group of Gauteng businessmen from the Indian community, recently met at the offices of advocate Nazeer Cassim in Johannesburg, to discuss the spate of kidnappings of South African Indian businessmen across the country. The businessmen believe that the scourge of kidnappings that have been taking place in Maputo for many years, and that has now started in South Africa, is being orchestrated out by the same group of Pakistani nationals.
Eldoglen resident, Majeed Khan of Schekel Crescent, was slain as he and his passenger were shot at several times in his white Audi A4, this past Wednesday, on the M1 North highway.