South Africa News

Another wealthy Cape Town businessman allegedly kidnapped

A wealthy Cape Town businessman was allegedly kidnapped in the city on Monday morning. Yusuf Abramjee, South Africa’s unofficial crime-fighter in chief, posted on Twitter that the victim was Noor Mohammed Karriem of Giant Cash & Carry. Abramjee earlier posted on Twitter: “A Cape Town businessman was kidnapped this morning. Three months ago, a businessman was taken in Bedfordview JHB.

“And before that a Durban businesswoman was kidnapped. All are still missing. Police in the Western Cape have not commented on the alleged kidnapping. Kidnapping wealthy businessman is seemingly a profitable business for criminal syndicates. Cape Town has seen a number of kidnappings in recent years.

In July last year, Cape Town businessman Liyaqat Parker, 65, was allegedly kidnapped by five unknown and armed men at his business in N1 City, Parow. He was returned to his family in September, with then Community Safety MEC Dan Plato saying at the time the 65-year-old’s release was the result of “large sums of extortion money” being paid by the family.

The public relations consultant hired by the Parker family‚ Kaz Henderson‚ denied that a ransom was paid. Parker is a founding member of the Food Property Group‚ which owns the Foodworld chain of supermarkets. He is also a board member of Al Amien Foods and a non-executive director of Brimstone Investment Corporation.

It was alleged kidnappers had demanded 50 bitcoin, a global cryptocurrency, which was about R4.3m at the time.

Police

On July 25, 2017, three armed men kidnapped Sadeck Zhaun Ahmed, who owns Zhauns Business Opportunity Machines in Woodstock. He was eventually released at the end of August. Bangladeshi businessman Mustapha Goolam, from Lotus River, was kidnapped from Food Town in December 2016 and a ransom was set at R11m.

A badly beaten Goolam was found in Khayelitsha two days later. Five people, including a police reservist, were arrested. A wealthy Cape Town businessman, Naushad Deshmukh Khan, 46, was also kidnapped in October 2016.

The Athlone businessman was found in Thornton at the end of December and had to receive medical attention, police said. Deshmukh was allegedly snatched outside his clothing business, Khan’s in Hadji Ebrahim Crescent, by a group of armed people who bundled him into a delivery vehicle.

In other news – Prince Harry and Meghan arrive in South Africa for royal tour

Britain’s Prince Harry, his wife Meghan and their son Archie have arrived in Cape Town. They were photographed at Cape Town International Airport this morning for the start of their ten day tour of Southern Africa.

Prince Harry and Meghan arrive in South Africa

The couple will attend three functions in Cape Town on Monday. Harry, who has travelled widely across Africa, jointly founded the charity Sentebale in 2006, to help support children affected by HIV, after spending a gap year in Lesotho. Read more

Source: eNCA