Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Avele Fumba said the arrest of six kidnapping suspects had dealt criminal syndicates in the Nelson Mandela Bay region a solid blow. (Photo: Riaan Marais) 
A group of alleged kidnappers will return to court later this week after making their first appearance in the Gqeberha Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
But before they return for their formal bail proceedings to begin, the court has ordered that they undergo a thorough medical examination after they claimed police officials assaulted them during questioning after their arrest last week.
Meanwhile, the Hawks arrested a fifth suspect they believe to be part of a kidnapping gang that operated in the Engcobo region of the Eastern Cape.
This brings the total number of kidnapping suspects who have been arrested over the past month to 12, as the police’s elite investigative unit cracks down on the scourge of kidnappings across the province.
Following the release of 62-year-old kidnapping victim Tracey Fourie in Gqeberha last week, the Hawks spearheaded a joint operation with various police units and private security operatives. This resulted in the arrest of nine suspects, some of whom were allegedly found in possession of ransom money, illegal firearms and vehicles used during the commission of the offence.
“The swift flow of intelligence, rapid mobilisation and coordinated execution delivered a crushing blow to those who thought they could terrorise the community,” Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Avele Fumba said.
Mthetho Ntleko, Mzameni Matyunza, Malibongwe Dayile, Nyaniso Sabundla, Aviwe Twatwa and Tamsanqa Matlabe made a brief appearance in court on Monday.
While nine suspects were initially arrested, Fumba said the position on the other three people will form part of the investigation, which is at a sensitive stage. However, a source closer to the investigation said the charges against them had provisionally been withdrawn as there was no clear evidence linking them to the matter at this stage.
When asked about comments that the Hawks have “crushed a kidnapping syndicate”, Fumba said they were investigating possible links between these suspects and other kidnappings in recent months.
He also said that he had no knowledge of the accused’s allegations that they had been assaulted by police while in custody.
The six accused will remain in custody until they return to court on Thursday to begin the formal bail application.
Their arrest comes days after Ayabulela Busakwe and Andile Mathumbu appeared in the Kariega Magistrate’s Court last week in connection with the kidnapping and ransom of Theresa Minnie.
Read more: Finally – Hawks arrest suspects in latest Nelson Mandela Bay kidnapping
They will remain in custody after abandoning their formal bid for bail and will return to court next month.
On Wednesday, the Hawks also arrested four suspects in East London after a brief shootout. These suspects were found in possession of five illegal firearms, including a state-issued R5 rifle, and are suspected to be involved in a series of violent crimes, including kidnappings in the area.
Read more: Eastern Cape kidnap crackdown – four held in Hawks shootout, two others abandon bail bid
On Monday, 1 September, the Hawks released a statement that a 42-year-old man had been arrested in Mthatha. He is the fifth suspect linked to an incident in June 2024 where two people were abducted and their bank cards used to purchase expensive clothes and other goods to the value of R1.5-million.
The latest suspect will make his first court appearance in the Engcobo Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. His matter will eventually be joined with that of his co-accused, Ntsika Tyali, Mpumelelo Nyosi, Akhona Unathi Deyi and Fundile Tyali. DM