A man kidnapped in Benoni on Tuesday afternoon has been rescued, along with 90 undocumented Ethiopian nationals who were allegedly being kept against their will.

The discovery was made in Sunnydale Ridge, Johannesburg, yesterday morning when the SAPS Special Task Force Unit were tracing the man who was kidnapped for ransom.

National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe says the Ethiopians were discovered ‘locked up, confined and packed into rooms’ under inhumane conditions. The kidnapped man was found among the undocumented foreigners.

“Investigations are underway as to how these [Ethiopian] nationals were trafficked into SA,” she adds.

Mathe says the Ethiopians have been taken to hospital, and that two suspected human traffickers and kidnappers, who were found on the property at the time of the discovery, were arrested.

“They are likely to face charges of kidnapping and human trafficking and are expected to appear before the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court soon,” she adds and says the Hawks have taken over investigations.

The operation’s success was attributed to the work done by members of crime intelligence, organised crime detectives, Sandringham and Daveyton SAPS officers, as well as private security.