Umm Muhammed Umar

A businessman from Roshnee, in Gauteng, was kidnapped outside his business in De Deur on the morning of Thursday, February 24. He was rescued in the early hours of this morning from a home in Lenasia South, where he was being held. Radio Islam spoke to Colonel Athlenda Mathe regarding the details of the rescue of Zaheer Asmal.

Col Mathe said that the National Crime Intelligence and the kidnapping task team had indeed made another breakthrough in less than five days after Asmal had been kidnapped at his business premises. She said, “I can confirm to you that just before midnight on Monday, the task team led a multidisciplinary operation, consisting of members of the special task force, the Johannesburg Metro Police Department, where we were also assisted by a private security company.” She added, “So the team went to three addresses. The first address – this is where they found the victim – Mr Zaheer Asmal.” Asmal was found unharmed. Col Mathe said that a 70-year-old Mozambican national was arrested at the same address. Police found a dark grey Toyota Hilux and fake registration number plates, used in the crime, at the second address, where a Malawian national was arrested. Col Mathe said that at the third address, which was in Roodepoort, police were met with gunfire; none of the task team members sustained any injuries. A South African national was arrested, and a licensed firearm was seized.

Col Mathe explained just what it took to execute an operation of this magnitude, with multidisciplinary task team collaborating. She said that SAPS, at a national level, had established a task team called the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Team. The team specifically investigated cases of kidnappings where there were demands for ransom. She elaborated, “and then on top of that we’ve got a multidisciplinary team in the provinces that supports the work of this national test team which has been established……. So together we have been following all possibilities since last year, with the intention of apprehending those involved in kidnapping cases, where demands have been made for ransom.” She added, “I can tell you (that) you need to involve various disciplines within law enforcement, for you to be able to track, trace, and take down these syndicates, because kidnapping cases are complex in nature.” Col Mathe stressed that in kidnapping cases the victim’s life was the priority. She reiterated that SAPS never comments on active kidnapping cases, so as to avoid outing the victim’s life in jeopardy.  because the life of the victim is the one that we won’t we don’t want to jeopardize. Col Mathe said, “So, it takes a lot of team effort, it takes a lot of hard work, it takes a lot of dedication, it takes a lot a lot of sleepless nights, to identify the syndicates effect the necessary arrests.”

Regarding the spate of kidnappings in South Africa recently, and the number of arrests that have taken place, Col Mathe said that eight people had been arrested in the space of a week. She said that last Wednesday an intelligence driven operation led the task team to an identified address in Brackenhurst, where the team pounced on an alleged kingpin and his three associates. There, police found and seized three high powered vehicles, 6000 Mandrax tablets, a receipt from the sale of a R1.9 million property in Bryanston, high end, luxury, branded clothing, all of which SAPS believes had been bought or acquired through money received from ransom money, paid in cash. All of the eight arrested were currently in police custody. Also last Wednesday, the team traced another suspect belonging to that particular syndicate, to Benoni, where the suspect was arrested. A high-performance vehicle was also seized.

Col Mathe said that Mr Zaheer Abdullah, a Mozambican national who had been taken in Johannesburg, along with an associate, and an Indian national Mr Yaseen Bhiku, had been rescued by the task team. She said, “we have identified that there are several groupings that are involved in kidnapping wherein some demands are made. So, this is two of the several groupings, where the kingpins have been arrested and that have been identified.” She added, “these several groupings are spread across the country. They might not be related, but we are still investigating…. what they have in common, what is their linkage.”

Zaheer Asmal was rescued earlier today, in the early hours of this morning with a multidisciplinary operation consisting of members of the special task force, as well as the Johannesburg Metro Police and private security firm, Vision Tactical. While there has been a lot of negative publicity around the police, and other law enforcement, credit must be given where it is due, and on this particular issue, they have done outstanding work!!!