Business owners kidnappings 'a worrying new trend'

Recently, several Muslim business owners were kidnapped by groups demanding high ransom payments.

NFP MP Ahmed Shaik Emam raised the issue with Mbalula at yesterday’s presentation of the annual police statistics for 2016/17.

“One thing we have noticed is the worrying trend of kidnappings in the country of wealthy businessmen. It is a huge problem as these businessmen are being hijacked and hefty ransoms are demanded for their release,” he said.

A wealthy Cape Town businessman, Naushad Deshmukh Khan, 46, was kidnapped late last year. The kidnappers demanded millions of dollars in cash. Another prominent Cape Town businessman, Zhaun Ahmed, 71, was kidnapped outside his offices in Woodstock.

 He was found a few weeks ago. Earlier this month, Pretoria businessman Omar Carrim was kidnapped after leaving his business in the city for his home in Laudium. He is still missing.

Carrim’s luxury car was found burnt out on the outskirts of Erasmia, west of Pretoria, the next day.

Mbalula said they were aware of the problem.

“I cannot sit here and say that we are clued up with this new phenomenon. We are aware of the wealthy businessmen, who are mostly Muslim, being kidnapped. It is being dealt with, and the investigations that have started will continue,” he said.

Lieutenant-General Lesetja Mothiba, the acting National Commissioner of Police, took a more diplomatic approach.

“These type of kidnappings are very new to South Africa, and there is a big involvement of foreign nationals. It is very sensitive at this stage, and to share information now would not be appropriate. 

"We are aware of the gentlemen who was kidnapped in Joburg, and the other one here in Cape Town. Our Crime Intelligence Unit is working on this matter,” Mothiba said.

Social activist Yusuf Abramjee, who has brought this new crime phenomenon to the public’s attention, said kidnappings were escalating.

“There has been a series of kidnappings over recent years, and it appears to be escalating. What is worrying is that these syndicates are becoming more daring, and they are clearly sophisticated,” he said.

He listed several incidents, saying kidnapping syndicates had been operating for some time - demanding ransoms running into tens of millions of rand.

He said that while many of the criminals had been arrested, others continued to spring up, targeting largely Indian, Pakistani, Chinese, Bangladeshi, Zimbabwean and Mozambican nationals living in South Africa.

Abramjee said some gangs demanded payment in foreign countries, making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to follow a paper trail.

“Sources with links to crime intelligence say the kidnappings are linked and are suspected to be the work of foreign syndicates."

Abramjee said he had assisted a family from Polokwane last year when Anisah Moosa was kidnapped. The gang demanded R3m in cash, but were eventually arrested. He said the suspects were all South Africans.

“Reports say there have been ransom demands for Ahmed and Carrim. But the families are refusing to talk. All they are pleading for is the safe return of their loved ones. Last week, a Bangladeshi restaurant owner was kidnapped in Lenasia. Again, there has been a ransom demand."

Abramjee said the kidnappings of Ahmed and Carrim seemed to have been well organised, and that he would not be surprised if highly-trained former foreign soldiers were involved as “runners”.

“Local rogue cops may also be aiding and abetting the syndicates,” he said.

Cape Argus