Eight kidnapping suspects have been arrested in connection with the abduction of a man near Booysens.
Authorities rescued the 43-year-old victim from a hostel in Soweto, while effecting arrests at multiple locations.
The suspects were due in the Lenasia Magistrate’s Court on Monday for their first appearance on charges of kidnapping and extortion.
Ransom demanded
A man and wife were travelling home from work on 9 January when they were forced off the road in Booysens by armed men in a Toyota Quantum.
The wife was left at the scene while the suspects drove away with her husband in their Quantum.
The victim’s wife reported the incident to the police. She and her family soon began receiving ransom demands.
Withdrawals were also made from the man’s bank accounts as police began tracking the man and the suspects.
“Through intelligence methodologies and technology, the suspects’ cellphones were traced and it was also established that the suspects operate in Jeppe hostel, Nancefield hostel and Mzimhlophe hostel in Soweto,” Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said.
Gauteng SA’s kidnapping capital
After successfully tracing the suspects, an operation involving multiple units was planned for 17 January at Jeppe hostel where four suspects were arrested.
Authorities confirmed the man was being held at the Mzihlophe hostel, where he was recovered and has been reunited with his family.
“Further investigations linked the suspects to two more kidnapping cases opened last year in Jeppe and Diepsloot.
“This information led to the arrest of four more suspects; three in Diepsloot and one found with an unlicensed firearm was arrested in Orlando,” confirmed Nevhuhulwi.
As per recent police crime stats, South Africa recorded 4 772 kidnapping cases from July to September 2025.
Gauteng accounted for 2 542 of those, with the province featuring 27 times in the list of the top 30 stations with the most number of kidnapping cases.
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