Durban, KZN – Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) has arrested a 30-year-old trolley assistant for allegedly kidnapping a 17-year-old female student in Durban.
The incident reportedly began on Saturday, when the grade eleven student was held at gunpoint.
According to RUSA, the suspect, known to the victim, lured her with an offer of lunch before forcibly abducting her in a white vehicle and holding her inside an informal home in Blackburn, KwaZulu-Natal.
The arrest was made after RUSA officers, guided by a drone pilot, tracked the suspect to the residence.
“The suspect was apprehended and the victim was found locked inside the house,” a RUSA spokesperson said. “Our officers acted quickly to ensure the safety of the student.”
The victim alleges that she was raped multiple times while the suspect held a firearm to her back. She was unaware that a R10,000 ransom demand had been issued and feared for her life.
“She was terrified and believed she might be killed, as the suspect was someone she knew,” the spokesperson added.
The suspect has been handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and is now detained under Verulam CAS 337/11/2025. Authorities are continuing to investigate the matter.
This case has reignited concerns about the safety of students and the increasing role of community-based response units like RUSA in combating violent crime in KwaZulu-Natal.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
