VHEMBE: A rapid and coordinated operation by the Provincial Organised Crime Unit led to the successful recovery of five kidnapped foreign nationals and the arrest of two suspects connected to an alleged kidnapping syndicate in the Levubu policing area of Vhembe District.
This operation was set in motion after a foreign national residing in Giyani, Mopani District, reported a kidnapping case on Tuesday, 07 May 2026. The individual informed authorities that they had received ransom demands from unidentified individuals seeking payment for the release of their brother.
Utilizing intelligence gathered, the Provincial Organised Crime Unit pursued vital leads, culminating in an operation conducted on Saturday, 16 May 2026, around 08:00 at Valdezia Mambedi Village within the Levubu policing precinct.
Upon reaching a local spaza shop pinpointed during their investigation, officers discovered two foreign male suspects on site and proceeded with a search. They seized illicit cigarettes, mobile phones, and cash, including coins stored in plastic bags.
Further examination revealed five foreign male victims, aged between 18 and 24, confined in a room. The victims were seated on the floor, half-dressed, and appeared clearly traumatized.
Initial findings indicated that the victims were kidnapped individually from the Giyani vicinity, allegedly forced into a truck, and transported to this location where they endured captivity for about twelve days. The victims reported to the police that they were guarded, received only bread as sustenance, and were subjected to repeated assaults by their captors, who pressured their families for ransom.
Two Ethiopian nationals, Misganu Gethchwe (24) and Teshal Tumebo (20), were detained in connection with this case. Two more suspects tied to the alleged syndicate remain at large, and law enforcement is actively working to track them down.
The detained individuals appeared in the Giyani Magistrate’s Court facing kidnapping charges, as well as in the Waterval Magistrate’s Court concerning illicit cigarette possession and money laundering on Monday, 18 May 2026.
They were kept in custody and are scheduled to appear again in the Waterval Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 22 May 2026, and in the Giyani Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 25 May 2026.
Ongoing investigations are being conducted by the police.
