South Africa: Ukrainian national kidnapped for ransom in Cape Town, Sept. 29, reportedly released Oct. 7 /update 1

Event

A Ukrainian female national who was kidnapped outside of Nioro Plastics located on Ipswich Street in Blackheath, Cape Town, the morning of Sept. 29, was released Oct. 7. The assailants reportedly demanded a ransom of ZAR 5 million (USD 280,000) for her release. The assailants' identity, the circumstances of her release, and information regarding whether a ransom was paid are not available.

Context

Kidnapping for ransom and extortion is an increasing concern in the greater Cape Town area. The threat extends to locals and foreigners, particularly local business owners and their family members. Extortion of owners of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs is also common in central Cape Town. Criminal gangs and syndicates operate extensively and are the likely culprits in the recent string of kidnappings. Security forces are generally under-resourced and have been unable to stem rising crime rates, including kidnapping, which has become an increasingly national security issue. In response to this recent incident, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the City of Cape Town have agreed to pool resources to support a specialized unit focusing on kidnapping and extortion.

Over 3,000 kidnapping cases were reported in South Africa between April and June of 2022. Of these, 237 were reported in Western Cape Province. While the number of kidnappings has decreased in the Western Cape compared to 2021 over the same period, it has risen in all the other provinces. Kidnappings in South Africa are mostly robbery- hijacking- or rape-related. Due to ongoing socio-economic issues, crime rates are likely to continue to escalate in the medium term.