Cape Town – Three alleged kidnappers have been killed and three others arrested in a Hawks-operation in the Eastern Cape, after an Ethiopian national was rescued from captivity.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed that law enforcement successfully rescued a kidnapped Ethiopian national and that three suspects were killed during the operation.
According to SAPS, the suspects opened fire on officers, who returned fire; no SAPS personnel were harmed. The matter is now under investigation and charges are being prepared.
#sapsHAWKS Eastern Cape: A coordinated op on 10/09 led by the East London DPCI #Hawks Kidnapping Task Team and supported by the East London Tracking Team, East London TRT, Provincial Crime Intelligence, Amathole District Crime Intelligence and private partner Guardian Defence… pic.twitter.com/CYPebq9M9I
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) September 11, 2025
As reported by The Citizen, the sequence of events began when two people travelling along the N2 between Qonce and Peddie were attacked by occupants of a white sedan. The vehicle was disabled by gunfire, one person fled and the other an Ethiopian national was taken hostage.
A ransom demand followed. On 10 September 2025, members of the East London DPCI Kidnapping Task Team, supported by crime intelligence units, located the kidnappers’ hideout in Alice. The suspects fired on police during the raid, and three were shot dead; three more were arrested.
Cape Argus reported that kidnappings of foreign nationals in the Eastern Cape are not isolated. In recent months there have been multiple abductions involving foreign nationals: businesspeople and students among them.
The reports note that these incidents often include ransom demands, involve forced abductions from public areas, and sometimes lead to traumatic returns for victims. These patterns elevate concern about safety and prompt stronger law enforcement collaboration in the region.
Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, head of the Hawks in the Eastern Cape, praised the recent operation, saying it demonstrates that “criminals will find no refuge in the Eastern Cape. We will track them, confront them and dismantle their networks with precision and force.”
The arrested suspects face charges including kidnapping, attempted murder, and possession of unlicensed firearms, with their first court appearance scheduled for 15 September in the Peddie Magistrate’s Court.
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
