An organised crime syndicate is targeting wealthy businessmen, said anti-crime activist Yusuf Abrahamjee.
Abrahamjee said the significant rise in the number of kidnappings in recent years has been a cause for concern.
Pretoria businessman Omar Carrim is the latest victim of this alleged syndicate, Abrahamjee said.
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Carrim (76) who has been missing for almost a month now is suspected to have been kidnapped by this syndicate.
He said the family appealed to the kidnappers to release him after months in captivity.
“We know ‘uncle Omar’ is not well and I hope the kidnappers will show mercy and release him immediately.”
Abrahamjee said these kidnapping syndicates have been operating for some time, taking their victims and demanding ransoms running into tens of millions of rands.
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“Many of these gangs are targeting largely Indian, Pakistani, Chinese, Bangladeshi, Zimbabwean and Mozambican nationals living in South Africa.”
He said what was worrying was that these syndicates were becoming more daring and sophisticated.
“Many of the victims are forced to make payment in foreign countries, making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to follow the trail.”
Carrim was allegedly kidnapped on August 3 shortly after leaving his Home Hyper City in Pretoria.
“I have launched a daily social media campaign with a day-count appealing for Omar to be released,” Abrahamjee said.
A day after his disappearance, the burnt wreck of his Mercedes Benz E300 was found near Atteridgeville.
It emerged later that he had been kidnapped after the family was contacted by alleged kidnappers demanding a ransom.
Abrahamjee said they haven’t heard anything from the abductors since then.
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