The spate of kidnappings of several
influential Indian businessmen, in recent
times, from various parts of the country has
caused panic within communities.
A number of meetings with community
leaders, politicians and high ranking police
officials have also been taking place with
businessmen seeking answers as to how
officials are dealing with the matter.
In a letter that appeard on various social
media platforms, Erasmia resident, Yusuf
Abramjee, has written to the National Police
Commissioner urging him to bring the
dangerous syndicates to book.
Abramjee added, “When the crime statistics
were released late last year, the South
African Police Service (SAPS) failed to give
figures on kidnappings. I raised the issue
publicly and I am still awaiting a response.
Kidnappings are certainly on the increase
and this is very worrying. It appears
organized syndicates are at work and we are
also seeing smaller or amateur groups
carrying out 'copy-cat' kidnappings.
I have written previously that it appears
some of these organized syndicates have
international links. In some cases, the
ransom had to be paid in foreign countries.
A Durban businessman was freed last week
after being held captive for almost six
weeks. His family was forced to pay
millions of rands of ransom in a foreign
country.
A Johannesburg businessman, Shiraaz
Ghatoo, was kidnapped three weeks ago. He
is still missing. The kidnappers are
demanding R48m.
While some arrests have been made in the
'copy-cat' incidents, other groups are
continuing to kidnap especially business
people.We have seen South Africans of
Indian origin being targeted as well as
Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinease,
Zimbabwean and Indian nationals.
Just recently, the body of NorthWest
businessman
Hasan Parvej (32) was found. He was
kidnapped from his store some 70km from
Mahikeng last week. The kidnappers
demanded R1-million cash. The family
only managed to raise some R70 000 and
asked for more time. The kidnappers wanted
the part payment and hours after the cash
drop-off, Parvej's body was found in bushes.
He had multiple stab wounds.
Over the December holiday period, an
Indian businessman, was kidnapped in
Limpopo. The gang demanded R6-million
cash. Police set-up a sting operation and
arrested one suspect after a high-speed
chase. Some arrests were made but I believe
the suspects have since been released before
of poor investigative work.
In December, Pretoria businessman Omar
Carrim (76)
was released after being held captive for 137
days. It is believed the family was forced to
pay a large ransom. The police investigation
leaves much to be desired. A
proper statement has still not been taken
from the victim months later. Crucial
information given to the team has not been
followed up. The family is happy to meet to
raise their concerns.
A few months earlier, Cape Town
businessman Sadek Zhaun Ahmed was
released after being kidnapped and
held for several weeks. He also reportedly
paid a large ransom. I am told he met with
then Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa
(now our President) and also raised
the matter. This was late last year.
Businessman Naushad Deshmukh Khan (46)
of Cape Town was kidnapped in late 2016
and held for weeks.
He paid millions of rands in ransom and was
freed. There has also been a number of
kidnappings in KZN. Some of these victims
fled Mozambique fearing that the syndicates
will target them only to come to South
Africa and being taken. I assisted the Moosa
family of Polokwane in 2016 after
Anisah Moosa (36) was kidnapped. The
gang demanded R3-million. The victim was
freed after a shootout with police. Three
men were later arrested.
They were released on bail. One was shot
dead in December in a robbery in Tzaneen.
Many kidnapping cases also go unreported.
The families fear going to the police.
In Mozambique, we saw scores of
kidnappings over a four-year period.
Authorities eventually clamped down.
Some kingpins were arrested and released
on bail. They are now fugitives.
It is suspected the same kingpins may be
involved in some of the major kidnappings
in South Africa. Local business people are
seen as easy targets.
The spate of kidnappings has caused much
fear within communities. The culprits
involved in the major kidnappings have still
not been brought to book.”
Abramjee further urged police to prioritize
kidnappings as a matter of urgency and
suggested establishing special teams of
experienced detectives to get to the bottom
of the kidnappings. He also called for the
involvement of international law
enforcement agencies to ensure the kingpins
are brought to justice and establishing a
team of professional police negotiators to
deal with all kidnapping cases. He added
that local police did not have the experience
nor the skill, often resulting in the victims
being murdered.
Abramjee added that the criminal justice
system needed to be geared-up to deal with
the cases of kidnapping and that crime
intelligence also needed to be beefed up.
He added, “The kidnapping investigations
by detectives leaves much to be desired. I've
had insight into some cases and the standard
of investigations is rather poor.”
He urged police to use technology to ensure
that the kidnappers are arrested without
delay and to work closer with police in
neighbouring countries seeing that some of
the criminals are suspected of being from
those countries.
In summerising, Abramjee said that the
authorities needed to establish a special
project and prioritize kidnappings so that the
kingpins are arrested, charged,
convicted and punished. “If not, we are
going to see more and more business people
being taken. Let's also appeal to the public
to come forward with information.
Someone, somewhere, somehow knows
something. Please blow the whistle.”
*The understands that
Abramjee together with a selected group of
businessmen had a meeting with advocate
Nazeer Cassim in Johannesburg to discuss a
way forward as to how to approach
authorities in this regard.
* Representatives from a number of
religious bodies, including the Suni Ululama
Council said they were not invited to any
meeting concerning the spate of kidnappings
in the country. Representatives from various
business groups also said they were not
invited to any such meeting concerning the
kidnapping saga.
“Perhaps only family members who were
victims were invited,” said one
businessman.
- Sourced