A multidisciplinary team led by a special intervention and intelligence unit has detained an illegal Zimbabwean citizen in connection with the kidnapping of a 69-year-old Portuguese businessman, according to South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Athlenda Mathe. “The man was rescued and transported to a private hospital,” she added.
The South African police spokesperson told Lusa that the businessman was found in the suburb of Lenasia, predominantly inhabited by the Muslim community, near Soweto. He was rescued alive at 23:45 (00:45 in Lisbon) on Friday, August 9.
When questioned by Lusa, Athlenda Mathe emphasized that “a ransom was requested but not paid,” without providing further details.
The businessman was kidnapped on July 31 in Soweto, according to South African authorities.
In the last 19 months, at least 33 Portuguese-South African businessmen have been targeted for kidnapping in the South African province of Gauteng – where Johannesburg is located – the epicenter of violent crime and kidnappings in the African country, according to various sources.
South Africa is facing an increase in kidnapping crimes where high financial amounts are demanded for the victims’ release, according to South African police.
Most incidents have occurred in Gauteng, according to the same sources.
Official data indicates that in the last quarter of 2023 alone, South African police recorded 4,577 kidnappings in the country, an increase of 11% (453 more cases) compared to the same period of the previous year.
According to South African government data, about 200,000 Portuguese citizens and nearly half a million people of Portuguese descent reside in South Africa.