Kidnapping on the rise: Here’s how to keep yourself safe

Almost 5 000 kidnapping cases have been reported across South Africa from October to December last year, with Gauteng accounting for over half of these cases

Based on the latest crime statistics released by the South African Police Service on Thursday, kidnapping remains a serious safety concern in South Africa.

Kidnapping cases jumped from 4 748 in 2024 to 4 775 in October to December 2025.

Five years ago, the number of kidnappings sat at a much lower 2 605, showing a rapid growth of 2 170 in reports of kidnappings.

Increased danger

According to an expert, criminals gather information about victims beforehand by observing their daily routines and monitoring their movements at home or in workplaces.

Another way kidnappers gain information about one’s whereabouts is through social media platforms where personal information is shared.

Victims come from different backgrounds and even include business owners, professionals, solo travellers and parents simply collecting their children from school who can all be targeted when criminals believe there may be some form of financial gain.

Ruan Vermaak, a communications manager at CrisisOnCall, said many people think kidnapping only happens in high-profile ransom cases.

“While some incidents involve organised criminal networks targeting specific individuals, many occur opportunistically during crimes such as hijackings or armed robberies. In other cases, criminals may monitor routines and target victims during everyday activities such as commuting, arriving home or leaving work.

“The more predictable someone’s routine or the more personal information that is publicly available, the easier it becomes to plan a crime.”

CrisisOnCall is a national, private helpline centre that aids members in a crisis.

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Safety precautions

Although kidnappings may appear sudden, there are warning signs that often exist beforehand.

You can reduce the chances by being practically prepared and improving your overall safety.

“The more aware people are of the risks and the tools available to them, the better equipped they are to respond when something goes wrong,” Vermaak said.

Experts recommend that you:

• Review home and work security;
• Limit the sharing of personal information on social media;
• Stay alert to unusual activity in everyday environments, like unfamiliar vehicles repeatedly parked near a home or office, individuals asking unusual questions about schedules, or weird activity near parking areas and entrances;
• Ensuring family members are aware of emergency contact numbers; and
• Try to create an unpredictable daily routine where possible.

In vulnerable or unsafe situations, technology can also assist, as access to rapid assistance can help ensure a faster response.

The company offers a Protect Me mobile panic response system, like others on the market from Fidelity, ADT, Titan Secure, Community Active Protection, My Kleine Winkel, iFearLESS, Integrated Emergency Response and Civil Defence Force.

It allows users to immediately alert a control centre if they feel threatened. The centre then dispatches the closest armed response vehicle to their GPS location.

In his 2025 state of the province address, Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi said that his provincial government will continue to use technology to fight crime and lawlessness, including distributing an e-panic button to residents.

“The more aware people are of the risks and tools available to them, the better equipped they are to respond when something goes wrong,” Vermaak said.

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