Express kidnappings skyrocket: Steven Gruzd murder raises alarm over increase in abductions

The murder of Steven Gruzd (53) in a suspected “express kidnapping” case in Johannesburg in March has raised alarm bells, underscoring the urgent need for decisive intervention.

Gruzd was a prominent member of the South African Jewish community and head of the African Governance and Diplomacy Programme at the South African Institute of International Affairs.

Suspects were traced to the George Goch Hostel and arrested for Gruzd’s murder. Their bail proceedings were postponed on Wednesday, 15 April. Prosecutors and the police have been tight-lipped about the suspects’ possible motives, but there is suspicion that he was kidnapped for quick cash.

Kidnappings have skyrocketed over the past decade, particularly in Gauteng, and the large majority are linked to robberies and hijackings. Unlike ­traditional kidnappings for ransom, express kidnappings are swift and calculated. Victims are typically abducted for a matter of hours, coerced into withdrawing cash or transferring funds, and then released.

Private investigator Mike Bolhuis, head of Specialised Security Services, described how the crime had evolved: “It’s much easier today to take you with your cellphone, drive you around, empty all your accounts, then drop you off,” he said. “The days of keeping victims for months and months are over.”

Bolhuis said smartphones were a key driver of the rise in kidnappings, with criminals threatening victims with knives or guns to make them withdraw or transfer money, while also extracting personal information. “Once they have your phone, they can manipulate you any way they like,” he said.

This type of crime is not unique to South Africa. It is a modus operandi that has been reported in several countries, including Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, where criminals abduct victims for short periods and force them to withdraw cash or transfer funds before releasing them.

Statistics

From 2014/15 to 2023/24, the South African Police Service (SAPS) recorded a 264% rise in kidnappings to 17,061 incidents, according to the Institute for Security ­Studies (ISS). This rise is directly linked to express kidnappings. Police stats from 2023/24 revealed that 44% of kidnappings were linked to hijackings and 22% were related to robberies. In only 4% of cases was a ransom demanded.

Lizette Lancaster, head of the Justice and Violence Prevention Programme at the ISS, explained that this type of crime was regarded as lucrative and low-risk because criminals were less exposed when holding their victims only briefly.

Crime statistics for October to December 2025 underscore the problem. Police recorded 4,775 kidnapping cases in the third quarter of 2025/26, compared with 2,605 for the same period in 2021/22. Of the 4,775 cases recorded in October to December 2025, 2,551 were reported in Gauteng, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 855.

“Kidnapping is the modus operandi used to ensure that a victim is robbed of all their available funds on hand. This is seen as a low-risk criminal opportunity. A victim is often just at the wrong place at the wrong time,” Lancaster said, noting that such crimes were usually tied to armed robberies and hijackings.

Individual cases

Gruzd went missing on 27 March, and his case highlights that fatal outcomes cannot be discounted.

After he attended a meeting in Corlett Gardens, his body was found less than 24 hours later, 20km away at George Goch Hostel, in the early hours of the morning. Five suspects have been charged with his kidnapping and murder.

Liron Sanders, chief executive of the Johannesburg Community Security Organisation (CSO), which helped track the vehicle allegedly involved, said the available evidence pointed to an express kidnapping.

He said one line of inquiry was whether ­Gruzd may have refused to provide his banking details.

Whether the incident constitutes a botched express kidnapping or a robbery that escalated into murder remains unclear.

Concerns over the possible targeting of Jewish community members have intensified after the CSO confirmed it had dealt with between 12 and 16 express kidnapping incidents involving members of the Johannesburg Jewish community during 2025.

Another case, on 11 February this year, involved a Johannesburg businessman who was driving home from OR Tambo International Airport when he was hijacked and kidnapped. He was forced to hand over access to his bank accounts before being dumped unharmed, without his car or phone, in Alexandra, where he was later found.

Jay Moses, a church leader in ­Olifantsfontein, was the victim of a kidnapping in November 2025. He told Daily ­Maverick about his ordeal.

“I was hijacked and ­kidnapped at gunpoint in Glen Austin, Midrand. The hijackers blindfolded me and went with me. They took everything from me, including clothing, and withdrew money from all my accounts. They also called my contacts and demanded a ransom for my release.

“I thank God for the confusion that arose between them that later led to my miraculous release. I am safe and back home, and I managed to preach and minister to many people, though I was in pain and distressed.”

Severe risks

Anti-crime activist and broadcaster Yusuf Abramjee cautioned that the rise of express kidnappings or hijackings in Gauteng ­signalled a more sophisticated and adaptive phase of organised crime.

What distinguished these incidents, he argued, was their frequency and efficiency. Perpetrators operated with precision, moving quickly, coordinating tightly and extracting money within minutes.

Despite their short duration, the crimes carry severe risks. Victims remain highly vulnerable throughout the ordeal, and any resistance, delay or panic can quickly escalate into serious injury or even death. ­Women are often threatened with sexual assault, too. The underlying factors driving the crimes appear to be multi­faceted. Economic pressures may contribute, but the level of organisation involved points to coordinated ­criminal networks exploiting weaknesses in policing, intelligence and financial safeguards, combined with the opportunistic targeting of victims.

Combating this trend, Abramjee said, required a multipronged approach that included intelligence-led policing, stronger collaboration between police, banks and phone companies, improved rapid-response capabilities and better public awareness of risk mitigation.

Countermeasures taken

A national anti-kidnapping task team was launched in November 2021, but this was largely a response to an increase in high-­profile incidents of kidnapping for ransom. In March, the SAPS launched a specialised unit in Gauteng focusing on kidnapping, extortion and offences targeting infrastructure projects. The unit was described as “intelligence-driven, specialised, team-­orientated, multidisciplinary and prosecution-led”.

Writing in 2024, Lancaster said: “To bring the overall levels of kidnappings down, the SAPS will have to focus on addressing aggravated robberies. As this crime is also behind many murders and attempted murders, getting on top of those who are involved or profit [from] aggravated robberies would generally improve overall public safety and fear of crime.”

She added: “An intelligence-led, focused aggravated robbery strategy that is part of a comprehensive organised crime strategy could guide all law enforcement agencies in the country to play a role.”

It’s unclear whether Gauteng’s new task team will fill this role, but the business sector has also offered its help. In 2019, the SAPS launched the Eyes and Ears Initiative (E2) with Business Against Crime South Africa (Bacsa) and the private security industry to coordinate responses to crimes such as express kidnapping, including improving communication and sharing CCTV footage among security companies.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili explained that, unlike the police, who might have limited vehicles covering multiple suburbs at any time, private security companies had a far greater presence on the ground. Under the E2 programme, they might be able to get to a scene much quicker than the police.

“Bacsa also brings additional capabilities, including CCTV networks, monitoring systems and drone technology. These tools are used to track suspect vehicles in real time, with operators maintaining constant communication with SAPS members on the ground, guiding them in the direction of ­pursuit. This coordinated approach is often critical in enabling successful takedowns.”

In other instances, she said, when a high-priority suspect was being pursued, security companies deployed their resources in coordination with SAPS units such as Crime Intelligence and the Flying Squad.

“In this role, they act as force multipliers, enhancing operational capacity and reach. The E2 project in Gauteng has proven highly effective, and in most operational takedowns the SAPS consistently notes that actions were carried out in collaboration with private security companies,” she said.

In Gruzd’s kidnapping and murder case, a private security company was crucial in tracking the alleged kidnappers, which led to arrests.

Nevertheless, kidnapping cases across the country continue to rise despite police partnering with private security and launching multiple task teams.

Steps you can take to guard against ‘express kidnapping’

• Be constantly vigilant and aware of your surroundings, especially when leaving venues or entering your vehicle. Do not lose focus – if predators identify a lack of vigilance, you may be targeted.
• Avoid distractions. Avoid wearing headphones or texting while walking, as this reduces your awareness.
• Vary your routine. Change your daily routes to work, school and shops to avoid creating predictable patterns that criminals can track.
• Avoid flaunting expensive jewellery, watches or gadgets in public.
• Always inform a family member or friend of your whereabouts, particularly when meeting new people or travelling.
• Use ATMs in high-traffic, public areas during daylight.
• Consider changing the name and icon of banking apps on your phone to something inconspicuous (like a game) so they are not immediately obvious to kidnappers.

Other reported crimes show the same pattern

A woman was abducted in Bird Street in Mayfair, Johannesburg, in March while driving home from her coffee shop. She was taken captive and later released. ­The suspects were reported to be driving a Toyota Quantum.

A Zimbabwean businessman was rescued in July 2024 by the South African police’s anti-kidnapping task team, which arrested 14 suspects, including foreign nationals from China and Mozambique. The rescue took place in Diepkloof, ­Soweto. According to police, a large sum of cash was withdrawn from the victim’s bank account. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly DM168 newspaper, available countrywide for R35.