Eastern Cape councillor implicated in kidnapping of local businessman

A 37-year-old political councillor has been arrested in connection with the kidnapping of a local businessman in Dimbaza, Eastern Cape.

Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Avele Fumba said the incident unfolded on June 10, 2025, when a 42-year-old businessman was forcefully abducted from his hardware store by an unknown male suspect.

The suspect allegedly shoved the victim into his vehicle before fleeing the scene at high speed.

“Following the incident, the kidnapping task team of the Hawks, in collaboration with the East London Flying Squad and the Dog Unit (K9), acted swiftly on vital information received from alert community members. The team then followed a vehicle of interest,” said Fumba.

This led to the interception of a vehicle of interest and the immediate arrest of a 34-year-old male suspect.

Further investigation uncovered the alleged involvement of a local councillor, who is believed to have played a pivotal role in helping the main suspect attempt an escape.

She was arrested and subsequently charged.

Both accused appeared in the Dimbaza Magistrate’s Court on June 12, 2025.

“The councillor was granted bail of R2000, while the male suspect remains in custody and is set to return to court on June 19, 2025, for a formal bail application,” said Fumba.

The Provincial Head of the Hawks, Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, praised the quick action taken by law enforcement and the public.

“The arrest demonstrates the power of coordinated policing and [the] critical role communities play in tackling serious crime,” he said.

IOL News