The Hawks are currently investigating a case where a Cape Town woman was kidnapped after she was allegedly taken by unknown suspects near Port St Johns on Friday, Cape {town} Etc reports.
According to reports, Alize van der Merwe (39) was on her way to the Umngazi Resort when she was ‘accosted and abducted’.
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A Toyota Fortuner, a car that she was hiring, was later found abandoned, not too far from the resort.
Later, her family received calls from the alleged suspects, demanding a ransom, as reported by SmileFM.
‘The victim has not yet been found at the moment. The Hawks are investigating a kidnapping case and the police are working around the clock to rescue the victim unharmed,’ said Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, provincial head of the Hawks.
The investigation is still ongoing, with Ngwenya appealing to the public that if anyone has information regarding the matter, they should ‘immediately call the police’.
According to eblockwatch’s Andre Snyman on Facebook, Van der Merwe rented a white Toyota Fortuner from Hertz Vehicle Hire and departed from East London, travelling on the N2 towards Port St Johns, alone.
Her final communication with her family was on Friday, at around 11:30am, when she mentioned she was planning to stop, likely at the Shell Ultra City in Mthatha on the N2.
At around 3:13pm, Van der Merwe’s family received a call, informing them that she had been kidnapped.
No further details were provided, while Snyman stated that tracking data had indicated that the vehicle was abandoned between Dumasi and Port St John’s.
Snyman said that they have mobilised eblockwatch members across South Africa to assist, ‘particularly in the Transkei area’.
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Picture: Andre Snyman eblockwatch / Facebook
