[imagesource:flickr]

South Africa now ranks sixth in the world for kidnappings for ransom, a troubling trend seen in insurance data and confirmed by top insurance provider OLEA.

The World Population Review points out a big rise in ‘express kidnappings’, which are short, quick abductions rather than long-term captivity.

Insurers are warning Saffas about this new form of crime making waves in the country, as criminals target anyone and change their demands depending on how quickly they think they can get something out.

BusinessTech notes that South African crime stats data points to over 4,500 cases of kidnapping in one quarter in 2023, making South Africa one of the global hotspots for this kind of crime.

The epicentre of the kidnapping crisis is currently the Gauteng province, the economic heart of Southern Africa and home to Johannesburg, South Africa’s commercial capital.

“More than half of the total cases so far have been reported from the province—over 7,800 annually. Gangs are now expanding to other parts of the country in search of new targets,” said Richard Hood, CEO of insurance broker OLEA South Africa.

Meanwhile, Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape was identified as a hotspot at the beginning of March 2024, when a businessman was abducted from his shop and an R27 million price tag was placed on his life. He was returned two weeks later, alive but hurt and traumatised.

Lizette Lancaster, who manages the Crime and Justice Information Hub at the Institute for Security Studies, notes that this trend started about a decade ago, per Cape Town ETC:

Approximately 75% of reported kidnapping cases to law enforcement involve this swift and targeted form of abduction, with an average of 46 to 50 incidents reported daily, a worrying statistic, Lancaster emphasises.

In the past, kidnappers would hold victims to get their bank cards and make multiple ATM withdrawals. But now, with banking apps on smartphones, these crimes have become even easier.

“This is almost an easier form to get money.”

Lancaster explains that these kidnappings often happen when people are caught off guard, with criminals taking advantage of those in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“The kidnapping often ends when the victim can no longer withdraw money. But not always,” Hood said, adding that “Everyone is a potential target.”

“Kidnappers change the ransom demands according to what they think the victim, or their families, can afford,” he said.

This type of kidnapping has surged across Africa, with cases in South Africa increasing by 30% over the past decade. The prevalence and risks have become so significant that insurers now offer specialised products to mitigate the dangers and rising costs associated with kidnappings.

Due to the spontaneous nature of these crimes and the vulnerability of the victims, it’s really tough for law enforcement to tackle the issue effectively, Lancaster adds.

It surely has not helped things that local law enforcement has been plagued by corruption and ineffective leadership for so long now. Perhaps we will see this trend scale down once the new police minister takes over Bheki Cele’s position.

[source:capetownetc]