Notorious Mozambican kidnapping kingpin killed in a shootout with Gauteng police
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has shot dead 40-year-old Mauro Mucambe Junior, a notorious kidnapping kingpin from Mozambique, wanted for his alleged involvement in a series of high-profile kidnappings.
The incident took place on Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Fourways, Johannesburg, as the police continued their desperate search for a kidnapped Pakistani businessman.
National police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, provided insights into the operation, revealing that Mucambe was tracked down following an extensive manhunt initiated by the Maputo Police in August 2024.
Mathe said the team began their operation at a residential complex in Carlswald, Midrand, where they seized a Mercedes Benz, a silver Pajero, and arrested two kidnappers.
“They proceeded to Fourways where the task team announced their arrival and a shoot-out ensued. One suspect was fatally wounded and upon further investigation, it was discovered that 40-year-old Mauro Mucambe Junior is a wanted kidnapping kingpin in Mozambique where he has been linked to several kidnappings,” she said.
During the operation, police recovered an unlicensed firearm, and 10 rounds of ammunition associated with Mucambe. Additional items confiscated included four cellphones and four bank cards, which are likely to provide crucial leads in ongoing investigations.
Despite this breakthrough, despair looms over the family of the kidnapped Pakistani businessman, who is still missing. Brigadier Mathe disclosed that a ransom demand had been made to the victim’s family.
“SAPS has full faith and confidence in the work of the anti-kidnapping task team to rescue the kidnapped businessman,” she said.
Mathe added that since January 2024, the team has demonstrated significant success in tackling organised kidnapping syndicates, having arrested over 170 individuals linked to such crimes and recovering more than R1.2 million.
She said the team has also rescued over 100 victims from the clutches of criminals, predominantly in Gauteng, and seized more than 40 vehicles believed to have been used in kidnappings.
sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za
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