kidnappings Archives - Voice of the Cape

Criminologist warns of rising child trafficking and kidnappings this holiday season

With the festive season underway, the Border Management Authority (BMA) has ramped up efforts to combat human and child trafficking. Recently, border guards at the Lebombo port of entry intercepted a minibus taxi attempting to smuggle 14 undocumented children from Mozambique into South Africa. Criminologist and National Coordinator for Missing Children South Africa, Bianca van Aswegen, highlighted the alarming rise in such cases during this period. "It’s not just child […]

10 December 2024

Local

Foreign business owners easy kidnapping target as some are undocumented – expert

A security expert thinks one of the reasons kidnappers target foreign business owners or employees in South Africa is that they know that some of them are here illegally. Some parts of the country have seen a rise in such incidents in recent months. In Cape Town, a foreign national shop assistant was kidnapped in Kuils River on Wednesday, apparently for a R2 million ransom. A security expert at the […]

30 July 2023

Local

Organisation calls for safety of children in SA amid child kidnappings

Children’s rights advocacy group Save the Children South Africa wants more to be done for the safety and protection of children. The organisation says according to research, 23% of children who go missing are never found. Social media has been abuzz recently with reports of attempted kidnappings and abductions. Police have dismissed much of it as fake news and say they’ve wasted time and resources following many hoax reports. Project […]

7 October 2020

News

SAPS: ‘Parents need to be vigilant’ on child kidnappings in SA

The South African Police Service has warned against the peddling of fake stories about human trafficking or the kidnapping of women and children. The caution came amid a rise in such reports on social media, with “human trafficking” among the top trends in South Africa. However, speaking on the VOC Breakfast Beat show, Director of Molo Songolo, Patric Solomon said it is important to be wary of minors on social […]

23 September 2020

News

‘Kidnapping a serious threat in SA’: expert

By Zaahidah Meyer A security analyst says the kidnappings of businessmen in South Africa is a concerning trend and police must get to the root of what is motivating these abductions. This was raised after Cape Town businessman Liyaqat Parker was abducted at his business premises in Parow this week. It’s believed Parker’s abduction is fourth of its kind over the past two years, however several other kidnapping cases have […]

12 July 2018

News

Ulema bodies distressed by spate of Muslim kidnappings

Two prominent ulema bodies have expressed alarm at the news of yet another apparent case of abduction of a Muslim businessman in South Africa. On Monday, well known Cape Town‐based businessman, Liyaqat Allie Parker, the founder of the Foodprop Group, was kidnapped as he pulled up at his business premises. Parker had just arrived inside the basement of his business premises in Parow after 9am, when he was allegedly accosted […]

9 July 2018

Local

Wealthy South Africans could be the next target, warn kidnapping experts

Wealthy and prominent South Africans could soon become the next target of international kidnapping syndicates who are terrorising foreigners living in the country. That’s the warning sounded by research and global kidnapping monitoring organisation, Red24. Red24, which is part of the global risk management company iJet, tracks and monitors incidents of kidnapping and extortion. Their data is based on research and monitoring in South Africa over the last 10 years. […]

2 May 2018

kidnappings

Criminologist warns of rising child trafficking and kidnappings this holiday season

Foreign business owners easy kidnapping target as some are undocumented – expert

Organisation calls for safety of children in SA amid child kidnappings

SAPS: ‘Parents need to be vigilant’ on child kidnappings in SA

‘Kidnapping a serious threat in SA’: expert

Ulema bodies distressed by spate of Muslim kidnappings

Wealthy South Africans could be the next target, warn kidnapping experts

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