By Betha Madhomu
Cape Town – In a major operation by the South African Police Service (SAPS) Special Task Force (STF), 90 undocumented Ethiopian nationals were rescued from inhumane conditions in Sunnydale Ridge, Johannesburg on Sunday.
According to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the STF and a multidisciplinary team made the discovery while searching for a kidnapping victim who was being held for ransom.
“A multidisciplinary team led by the STF were tracing a victim of kidnapping for ransom when they also made the discovery of the undocumented nationals who were found locked up, confined and packed into rooms. Investigations are underway as to how these nationals were trafficked into SA.
“Amongst the Ethiopian nationals was the kidnapped victim who was also rescued. The victim was kidnapped in Benoni on Tuesday afternoon,” Mathe said.
#sapsHQ The SAPS Special Task Force (STF) unit has rescued 90 undocumented Ethiopian nationals who were allegedly being kept against their will and under inhuman conditions in Sunnydale Ridge, Johannesburg.
A multidisciplinary team led by the STF were tracing a victim of… pic.twitter.com/qeadsacKII— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) August 4, 2024
The victim’s kidnappers had demanded hundreds of thousands of rands in ransom from the victim’s family.
The Ethiopian nationals were immediately taken to a hospital for medical care, given the dire conditions they had endured.
Two individuals found on the property have been arrested. They are suspected of human trafficking and kidnapping, and will face charges in the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court.
The case has been handed over to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (HAWKS) for further investigation.
Mathe credited the success of the operation to the collaborative efforts of various units.
“This operation would not have been successful without the work of the following units, crime intelligence, organised crime detectives, Sandringham and Daveyton SAPS as well as private security,” she said.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: X/@SAPoliceService
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
