Kidnapping victim saved after screaming from moving car on N1

Picture of Chulumanco Mahamba

By Chulumanco Mahamba

Digital Night Supervisor


A woman was rescued from a kidnapping after alert JMPD officers heard her screams from a vehicle on the N1 in the early hours.


Quick-thinking Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers rescued a kidnapped woman after she screamed for help from a moving car on the N1 near 14th Avenue.

A JMPD patrol turned into a dramatic rescue in the early hours of Wednesday as officers successfully intervened in a kidnapping incident.

The officers were on patrol on the N1 South highway heading towards 14th Avenue at around 4am when they saw a silver-grey Hyundai travelling without its headlights on.

Patrol turned into high-speed chase to rescue kidnapping victim

The JMPD said that as the officers pulled alongside the vehicle to alert the driver, a woman in the vehicle screamed for help through an open window, claiming that she was being kidnapped.

The officers swiftly activated their blue lights and sirens. This prompted the Hyundai driver to drive faster, leading to a high-speed chase between him and the JMPD.

Woman kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend from work

The suspect’s vehicle was cornered on 6th Street in the De La Ray after driving off the highway at the Gordon Road off-ramp.

“Upon stopping, the driver of the Hyundai abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot,” the JMPD said.

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“Backup was immediately called, and the officers rescued the woman, who confirmed she had been kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend from her workplace in Midrand, where she was on night shift.”

The JMPD confirmed that a case of kidnapping was opened at the Florida police station and the Hyundai was seized for further investigation.

JMPD chief of police commissioner Patrick Jaca commended the bravery and swift action of the officers.

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“Their vigilance and decisive response directly led to the safe rescue of a vulnerable citizen. This incident underscores the JMPD’s unwavering commitment to combating crime and ensuring the safety of all residents in Johannesburg,” Jaca said.

“We will continue to pursue the suspect involved in this heinous act.”

Suspect still at large

The JMPD applauds its officers’ prompt decision-making and quick thinking, which resulted in the victim’s safe rescue.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing.