By Anita Dangazele
- The teacher was kidnapped at gunpoint in broad daylight, right inside her school in Gqeberha
- The crime was caught on camera and police are investigating, but no ransom has been demanded yet.
A Gqeberha special educational needs school has been left traumatised after one of its teachers was kidnapped as she parked her car inside the school yard.
The special needs teacher was attacked by three men just after 8 am on Monday.
Police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge said she had just stepped out of her grey Toyota Fortuner when the men grabbed her.
“The suspects, using a white Toyota Corolla, forcefully took her into their vehicle and fled the scene. No ransom demand has been received.”
The men fired two shots into the air during the kidnapping before speeding off with her in their car.
A case of kidnapping has been opened at Algoa Park police station and is being investigated by the provincial organised crime unit.
The whole kidnapping was caught on CCTV. A video circulating online shows the woman parking her Fortuner before a white Toyota sedan pulls in behind her.
Seconds later, three men jump out and force her into the backseat of their car before driving off.
Eastern Cape Education MEC Fundile Gade said the attack was deeply disturbing.
“Kidnapping of our educators is the worst thing to ever happen in the sector. Actions of this nature seek to undermine the hard-earned democratic right to life, in a free country.”
He said the education department is sending teams to the school to support staff and learners with counselling and other help.
Human rights activist Ian Cameron said the kidnapping is part of a bigger problem.
“This is not just a kidnapping — it is extortion. Targeting individuals to pressure families and businesses is part of the same growing criminal economy that is crippling our public safety and economy,” he said.
Cameron who iis also the Parliamentary Police Portfolio Committee chairperson added that the committee would be visiting the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal to investigate crimes linked to extortion.
Anyone with information is asked to contact investigating officer detective Warrant Officer Mike Joni on 071-475-1891 or call Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
Pictured above: A screenshot of the video footage showing how the kidnapping took place.
Image source: Heinrich Edgar Davis
