Alize Van der Merwe, the Cape Town woman who was abducted while on route to an Eastern Cape resort nearly a week ago, has been released by her kidnappers.
Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said Van der Merwe (39) and another kidnapped woman (34) were dropped off by a white Toyota single-cab bakkie, near Sulenkama police station, in the OR Tambo District of the Eastern Cape on Thursday.
He said the other victim could not be identified at the moment. She was reportedly kidnapped last Tuesday between Elliot and Barkley East.
Van der Merwe was kidnapped last Friday while she was travelling on the N2 from East London to the Wild Coast.
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Mhlakuvana says the kidnappers caved due to the pressure exerted by the Hawks.
“Further reports divulged that the victims were traumatised and would be taken to the nearest hospital for medical attention. The matter is still under investigation by the Hawks.”
Andre Snyman, from the community anti-crime group eblockwatch says their members were closely involved with the team that helped secure Van der Merwe’s release.
”Through their dedication and hard work, they not only located the individual in question but also uncovered another person who had been kidnapped. Their efforts have been truly remarkable.”
Snyman writes on Facebook that eblockwatch served as a hub for the community, which has provided invaluable information, making this success possible.
A special shout-out to Serentinel and Fidelity Security for backing eblockwatch and providing essential support throughout this operation. There have also been many other multitask collaborations whose contributions were invaluable, even if I am not sure of all their names at this time.
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to this collective effort. This has been an outstanding example of collaboration, and through it, we’ve uncovered critical criminal activity operating on the roads and highways of the Eastern Cape. Now, we have the opportunity to tackle these threats head-on.
Moving forward, we will continue discussions with all role players to consolidate our efforts and ensure that if anything happens in that area, we can respond swiftly and effectively.
We will build on the incredible network we’ve formed since last week, Saturday.
Congratulations to everyone involved! Well done!
Van der Merwe’s release comes a few days after the kidnappers made a ransom demand.
The Hawks’ investigation into the kidnappings will continue.
