An 11-year-old girl has been safely reunited with her family, while suspects thought to be involved with her kidnapping have been arrested.
Gauteng, South Africa (06 January 2022) – It was a story that rocked the nation – an 11-year-old girl was kidnapped in broad daylight in November last year – but after two months, the young South African has safely returned home to her family.
The learner from E. P. Baumann Primary School in Mayfair was kidnapped at gunpoint by three males on the morning of 17 November 2021. The incident took place outside the school gate while she was waiting in line to be sanitized and screened.
According to News24, police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Netshiunda said that after an extensive investigation, members of the Crime Intelligence Anti-Kidnapping Task Team, assisted by the Johannesburg Flying Squad, pounced on a house in Devland, Soweto around midnight on the 4th of January 2022.
“The girl was rescued unharmed and was taken to a medical facility for medical examination. She has since been reunited with her family,” Netshiunda said.
The suspects at the house evaded arrest, but a 40-year-old man was arrested in Mozambique on 31 December. Interpol was busy with the extradition process.
Two other suspects, Ayanda Kekana, 50, and Fortune Kambule Ndlovu, 36, were arrested in December 2021 in connection with the same kidnapping and their bail application was denied when they appeared at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on 7 December 2021.”
Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi says he is delighted to hear of the girl’s safe return.
“We are delighted to receive this good news of the safe return of this girl learner. We will avail our Psycho-Social Unit to provide additional counselling to her given the trauma she has faced during this unfortunate incident,” he said.