A man kidnapped at gunpoint from the Berea Centre in Durban was rescued from a metal shipping container in Pietermaritzburg where he was being held captive and tortured.
Police, together with a Pietermaritzburg security company, made the breakthrough after an intensive investigation with officers from the Durban priority crime and intelligence units, and their counterparts from the Plessislaer in Pietermaritzburg.
The severely dehydrated man was freed from the metal shipping container last Thursday, September 7, after Pietermaritzburg security company Aphiwe Protection services, working with the Plessislaer police traced the suspects to an address in Imbali.
Aphiwe Protection Services director Khanyisani Radebe said the kidnappers had demanded R200 000 ransom from the man’s family.
“The man was severely dehydrated as he had been given very little to eat or drink. He had been held captive for five days in the container. He was repeatedly assaulted, beaten and banged on his head against the metal container,” said Mr Radebe.
Police also recovered several firearms at the scene, including an AK47 rifle and a Glock pistol.
The suspects are expected to appear in court during the course of this week.