A man in his 30s was found dead near the Putfontein offramp in Benoni on Thursday, after he left to give a client a quote for a gate on Monday but never returned.

Captain Nomsa Sekele, spokesperson for the Benoni SAPS, says this is the third similar incident around the city in the past two months. However, this is the first instance where the victim has been killed.

Information indicates that the victim, a welder working with his brothers installing gates, received a call on Monday from a potential client requesting a quotation.

“The victim drove from Rondebult, Boksburg, but once he reached Daveyton Road he called his brothers claiming that he is being kidnapped,” says Sekele.

“His brothers were unable to make further contact with him and contacted the police to report the matter.”

Later that evening, the family received a call from the victim’s phone demanding a ransom of R900 000.

“The callers were identified as Basotho nationals,” says Sekele.

“A day later, upon contacting the victim’s brother, the alleged kidnappers agreed to a sum of R20 000, but a meeting to hand over the cash was never established.

“Two days later his body was found at the Putfontein offramp on the N12.”

Police suspect that the victim may have been killed shortly after the kidnapping.

Further investigations into all three cases indicate that calls made from the victims’ phones originated in the vicinity of the N12 informal settlement.

A similar incident was reported in Crystal Park.

The motive for the kidnappings and possible links are still under investigation. The community is urged to share any information via the MySAPS app or the CrimeStop hotline on 08600 1011.