South Africa: The reaction unit has arrested four suspects for abducting three women against their will in Canelands. The suspects held these victims for 2 to 2.5 hours with intention to murder them.
The arrest was jointly made by Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) & the South African Police Services (SAPS). The incident was reported to the Reaction Unit South Africa by one of the women who had managed to escape the perpetrators.’
The 15 year old ran up to a RUSA Response Vehicle in the Canelands Industrial Area and reported the incident to the team. She asked the officers to help her in getting her mother and friend to safety from the suspects who had been holding her.
The victim confirmed that the suspects were armed and were holding the mother & friend hostage in an informal settlement. The 15 year old explained to the officers that she walking near the abandoned trained station with the other two women.
At this point,  four men threatened the women at approximately 17:00. The fifteen year old recognised one man as her mother’s ex boyfriend.
They produced weapons in order to threaten the women and forced them into a nearby home. The four suspects held the woman captive for approximately two & a half hours.
During the captivity, the suspects repeatedly assaulted them whilst discussing where they would bury the bodies when they were killed. After some time, one of the victims managed to escaped when she insisted on using the bathroom.
Taking advantage of the situation, she made her way to the Industrial area to get help. She informed the officers that she believed her mother has already been murdered.
The Reaction Officers, along with Verulam SAPS Crime Prevention (CP) Unit came up with a plan on the spot stormed the home. Â The two law enforcement agencies rescued the victims and arrested the suspects during the operation.
They also recovered several knives, a 9mm pistol & ropes from the suspects. The officers revealed that the women suffered injuries due to the assault from the suspects.
The reaction officers talked to the victims regarding the motive for the incident. The mother, whose ex-boyfriend was one of the suspects shared that she had charged him for assault in February 2024.
Motivated by the criminal charge, he wanted to murder her so that he could prevent her from testifying in court. The men were a known part of a notorious gang operating in Canelands – KZN.