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The victim’s vehicle was found abandoned in Dawn Park.
Picture: Saps
The South African Police Service’s (Saps’) Anti-Kidnapping Task Team has rescued a 30-year-old man and arrested two kidnappers during an operation east of Johannesburg.
The man was rescued in Germiston on Friday evening.
Rescue
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk said the victim’s vehicle was found abandoned in Dawn Park.
“Further investigation revealed that the owner of the vehicle had been kidnapped and was being held against his will.
“Within 24 hours, intelligence directed the task team to an identified address in Germiston. With support from a tactical unit, the team entered the premises and successfully rescued the victim,” Van Wyk said.
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Arrests
Van Wyk added that two suspects were arrested at the scene, while others managed to flee during a shootout with police.
“The rescued victim confirmed he had been kidnapped on Thursday, 26 June 2025.
“Just last week, police traced a Mozambican kidnapping kingpin to an apartment block in Fourways, Johannesburg. The suspect, linked to several kidnappings, was fatally wounded in a shootout with police,” Van Wyk said.
Van Wyk said Saps remains resolute in its commitment to dismantling kidnapping syndicates and bringing perpetrators to justice.
Kamogelo Baukudi
The grade 11 pupil from Martie du Plessis Special Needs School was found alive early on Friday morning, six weeks after he went missing.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said they were relieved that Baukudi had been found.
“After weeks of intensive investigation, Kamogelo was safely located and rescued in Wepener in the early hours of this morning, 27 June 2025. During an intelligence-driven operation, five African males aged between 20 and 29 were arrested.
“Three suspects were apprehended at a house in Kanana Location, Wepener, while two others were caught on the road between Kwetla Location and Wepener town with the victim,” Makhele said.
Kidnapping
Makhele added that this brings the total number of arrests in the case to six.
A police task team was established to search for Baukudi who was abducted on Thursday, 5 June 2025, while driving home from school in Vereeniging Drive, Bloemfontein.
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