Cellphone saves rape hostage

A woman from Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, who was kidnapped and repeatedly raped, led police to her rescue, calling them from the boot of a car.

The social worker, who has helped numerous rape victims to deal with their trauma, was kidnapped and raped repeatedly in a nearby forest.

Her attacker then pushed her into the boot of her car and drove towards Piet Retief, Mpumalanga.

Warrant Officer Mtholephi Khumalo said the police received the call from the 34-year-old social worker, explaining that she was in the boot of the car but could not give the correct location.

"The only thing she could say was that she was kidnapped and stuffed in the boot of the car," said Khumalo.

"Police had to track her down using the cellphone because she anticipated that the direction was towards Piet Retief in Mpumalanga."

The woman kept her phone switched on for the police to trace her number.

He had abducted the woman from her house in Vryheid.

The man found one of her cellphones but the woman managed to hide another one.

The car eventually ran out of fuel.

The man then left the woman at a house in Hlobane, about 25km from Vryheid, to look for petrol.

The woman called the police again. Khumalo said police arrived at the house and waited for the suspect but he did not come back.

He was later found in the area with two of his friends.

The three men, aged between 21 and 25, are expected to appear in the Vryheid Magistrate's Court on charges of rape, kidnapping, and car theft today.