A family of four, including two minor children, was rescued unharmed from alleged kidnappers in Limpopo on Wednesday morning. The family was abducted from their home in Mareseleng village on Tuesday by three armed suspects.

Police said during the early hours of Tuesday, a case of kidnapping involving a family was reported from Mareseleng village, under the Burgersfort policing area, in Sekhukhune District. 

The provincial commissioner of police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, immediately directed an intensified investigation to apprehend the suspects involved.

“Preliminary investigations reveal that three unidentified suspects, dressed in balaclavas and armed with firearms, forcibly entered the victims’ residence. They found a man, his wife, and their two minor children sleeping in the same bedroom, threatened and tied them up before kidnapping them,” said provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba.

The assailants then fled the scene with the four family members, bundling them in the couple’s white Volkswagen Polo hatchback.

A kidnapping case was opened at the Burgersfort police station.

“Thanks to a prompt police response and collaboration with the car tracking company, the victims were located and rescued unharmed at around 6 am today (Wednesday) on a farm in the Modjadjiskloof policing area,” said Ledwaba.

Lieutenant General Hadebe has commended the police teams for their “resilience and professionalism”, emphasizing that the swift response prevented potential harm to the victims and disrupted the assailants’ plans.

Police investigations are still ongoing. 

“We urge anyone with relevant information to assist in apprehending the suspects. Members of the public are advised to contact the investigating officer, Colonel Saleem Wahab at 082 319 9291, or call Crime Stop on 08600 10111,” the police appealed.

Alternatively, information can be provided via the MySAPSApp or by visiting the nearest police station.

Last year, IOL reported that police in Mpumalanga recovered a white Toyota Fortuner SUV, which was stolen by armed assailants during a house robbery incident.

The house robbery occurred at Sabie on Friday morning, at around 2 am, according to Mpumalanga provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli.

“According to a report, members of a certain family were asleep in the house when they were awakened by a noise, and only to realise that there were armed suspects who had already entered the house somehow,” said Mdhluli.

“It is further said that these suspects became very aggressive while they held the victims at gunpoint. In the process, the suspects ordered the victims to remain calm and threatened to kill them if they did not comply.”

The assailants reportedly took the victims’ belongings, then demanded car keys for the Toyota Fortuner in the yard.

After loading the stolen items into the vehicle, the family members were then forced into the vehicle with their one-year-old baby.

The robbers then drove away with the family members.

“They later abandoned the victims in a secluded area on the R37 Sabie/Hendricksdal Road. The suspects fled with the stolen items, using the said vehicle while leaving the victims to fend for themselves,” said Mdhluli.

“Later, the victims somehow managed to walk until they reached a place where they got assistance, whereby law enforcement agencies, including members of the SA National Defence Force, SA Police Service, and tracking companies, were alerted about the incident.”

jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za

IOL News  

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