Pretoria - Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi on Wednesday expressed “deep concern” about the alleged kidnapping of a Grade 5 female learner, who was seized from the E.P. Baumann Primary School in Mayfair, Johannesburg.
It is alleged that the learner was kidnapped at gunpoint by three males who were travelling in a “new shaped Silver/White Toyota Yaris with the registration number JS62CS GP, according to the provincial education authorities.
The incident happened outside the school gate while the learner was apparently waiting in line to be sanitised and screened after 7am.
“We are pleading with any member of the public who may have witnessed the abduction or knows anything about this incident to approach relevant law enforcement agencies. We condemn the actions of the criminal elements who prey on young learners, and our prayers are with the family and friends of the young learner,” said Lesufi.
“Our Psycho-Social Unit has been deployed to the school to provide assistance to learners and staff at the school who may be going through the trauma of witnessing this unfortunate incident.”
Lesufi said police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the case.
The Gauteng department of education has pleaded with any community member who may have additional information pertaining to this incident “or may have made any sighting of the vehicle” to contact the police.
On Wednesday, outspoken anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee was one of the first people to raise the alarm over the abduction of the learner on social media.
Last week, SAPS in Gauteng launched a probe into the abduction of a 28-year-old man who was seized by unidentified men in broad daylight in a parking lot in Benoni.
“An abduction case has been registered at Benoni police station. It is alleged that a 28-year-old man was forcefully taken by four unknown men on Liverpool Road,” SAPS spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Sello told Independent Media.
“The circumstances surrounding the incident are unknown at this stage. Police request anyone who may have information about the incident to please contact the SAPS Crime Stop Line on 0860 010 111.”
Last week, South Africans woke up to the news that the four Moti brothers, who were kidnapped three weeks ago while on their way to school in Limpopo, had been reunited with their parents, Naazim and Shakira Moti.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo said officers in Vuwani received a call from a resident on Wednesday night saying that the children arrived at their house.
IOL