Benoni businessman Mohammed Seedat (42), of Rynfield Drapers and Outfitters, has been reunited with his family following his rescue by police in the early hours of this morning (September 4).

Seedat was found in a shack in Alexandra shortly after midnight, bringing an end to his six-week kidnapping ordeal.

His rescue came just hours after the alleged mastermind behind the abduction was shot and killed during a confrontation with police near the R21 in Kempton Park on the evening of September 3.

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Seedat was kidnapped on July 23, moments after arriving at his outlet at Rynfield Value Mall at 09:20. Six armed men allegedly stormed the store, holding the security guard, manager and staff at gunpoint. While one of the suspects accessed the till, taking an undisclosed amount of money, Seedat was forced into a getaway vehicle.

According to SAPS national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the slain suspect, known by the nickname ‘Dollarman’, was a notorious kidnapping kingpin wanted in both South Africa and Mozambique.

“He is on SERNIC, which is Mozambique’s wanted persons database, where he was sought for several kidnapping-for-ransom cases. In South Africa, he was also linked to at least five kidnapping-for-ransom cases, as well as other cases of house break-in, carjacking and possession of unlicensed firearms,” said Mathe.

She added that the SAPS anti-kidnapping task team continues to make inroads against such crimes.

“From July 2021 to date, more than 337 kidnappers have been arrested and over 146 illegal firearms seized at crime scenes,” she said.

Also Read: Tragic end to kidnapping of prominent Benoni businessman