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United Democratic Movement (UDM) Deputy President Nqabayomzi Kwankwa has been released and is safe after being kidnapped on his way to Cape Town International Airport yesterday.

The UDM has confirmed that the MP was hijacked, kidnapped and released after a ransom of R25,000 was paid.

UDM leader, Bantu Holomisa released a statement saying “The UDM paid the ransom, and Mr Kwankwa was safely released, albeit shaken and traumatised. All his belongings, including his vehicle, were stolen,”

It is thought that four unidentified suspects abducted Kwankwa after stopping at a barbershop in Driftsands. He was parked on Old Faure Road with his Jaguar. The suspects are believed to have tied his hands and forced him into the boot of the car before driving off.

The Western Cape Anti-Kidnapping Task Team is now searching for suspects following Kwankwa’s ordeal.

“It is unknown whether the suspects were there for the protection fee that the barber should have paid, or not. The police will have to investigate that. But when the suspects spotted him, they asked him to open the banking app on his phone and increase the limit. They then drove with him in his red Jaguar and withdrew money from him before forcing him to ask for more money from his ‘people’.”

UDM president Bantu Holomisa gave more details to reporters:

“He was driving his car to the airport; he was going to fly to Pretoria for the inauguration. I left around 11 and arrived at 1pm and as I landed I saw missed calls and messages from our secretary-general informing me that (Kwankwa) had been kidnapped.

“And I called his phone and the kidnappers answered. I spoke to him too and he told me that the suspects were demanding R10000. They told me to hurry up otherwise I was going to find him at the mortuary.

“We then paid the money. Apparently they went to take money out of his account first. When they took him, they shoved him in the boot and drove around with him to take out money and thereafter they drove him to a bush where he saw an abandoned railway line. They took him out of the boot and pointed a gun at him, and that is when they said the money was not enough and they wanted more.”

After releasing him, Kwankwa was dropped in Hostel Street where he found his way to the Lingelethu West Police Station off Spine Road.

Holomisa said: “I don’t think this is related to politics, Kwankwa is not a threat to anyone. I think this might just be a criminal element.”

Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said: “A Western Cape anti-kidnapping multi-disciplinary task team comprising organised crime and DPCI investigators, as well as crime intelligence, is currently piecing together details following an incident in which a 44-year-old man was allegedly hijacked, kidnapped and robbed by armed suspects in Driftsands, Mfuleni yesterday.”

Kwankwa’s vehicle was recovered in the Khayelitsha area. The investigation continues and no arrests have been made as yet.

The high-profile kidnapping follows reports that South Africa has climbed to sixth place in the world for kidnappings for ransom. Hopefully, the new Police Minister will have a plan to rid us of this scary reputation.

[source:iol]