'Rise in kidnapping of women and children is a concern' - Gauteng MEC

The increase in the kidnapping of women and children in Gauteng is concerning, said the province’s MEC for Community Safety Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane.

In the latest incident, a 30-year-old woman was allegedly kidnapped in Ivory Park, Tembisa, on Friday afternoon.

Nkosi-Malobane said the incident happened in the wake of her department hosting a taxi summit following similar incidents of kidnapping, robberies and rape within the taxi industry.

According to the MEC, the woman had boarded a minibus taxi on her way to write an exam.

She was allegedly kidnapped by two men, a driver and passenger.

“On the way, the driver of the taxi allegedly proposed to the woman and also touched her on numerous occasions, with the help of the passenger,” Nkosi-Malobane said.

The woman resisted and was later taken to Soul City informal settlement in Kagiso on the West Rand. She was found in the early hours of Saturday morning and taken to hospital.

Nkosi-Malobane said the medical team could not confirm that she had been raped.

She has since been reunited with her family in Tembisa.

”I am very concerned about the rate of kidnapping cases of women and children by senseless criminals within our province,” the MEC said.

“We cannot allow women and children to be subjected to this type of abuse and degradation. I have instructed the investigation team to work around the clock to make a breakthrough in this case.”

Last week, two women, including Charity Mhlungu Nzuza, an official with the National Forum on the Legal Profession, were held up and pulled out of a car at gunpoint in Centurion. They were freed hours later.