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Following the kidnapping of the Moti Brothers, Zia (15), Alaan (13), Zayyad (11), and Zidan (6), a massive search is presently underway.
According to Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, police in Westenburg, outside Polokwane, launched the manhunt for the gang of suspects who forcibly removed the four schoolchildren from a vehicle on Wednesday morning, 20 October 2021.
According to preliminary investigations, the youngsters, all of whom attend a school in Dalmada, on the outskirts of Polokwane, were forcibly kidnapped by a gang of around seven suspects armed with guns.
The 64-year-old driver allegedly fetched the children from Nirvana and drove along the R37 road near the N1 bypass. He was abruptly stopped by two cars, a white Kia Sorento and a black Mercedes Benz.
Seven people clad in white overalls stepped out of the two cars and began shooting indiscriminately.
The suspects forced the four youngsters out of the car and into their Mercedes Benz, then drove away in the direction of the R81 road. The distraught driver, along with his vehicle, fled the scene. “Police were notified and immediately started with investigations and manhunt for the suspects and the children. The victims’ cellphones were later recovered after they were found dumped at Flora Park,” adds Brigadier Mojapelo.
At this time, there is no clear motivation for the act, but authorities are looking into it. The family has had no communication from the kidnappers to date.
As tensions rise, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, the Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, has authorised a high-level search operation involving the Airwing.
Anyone with information on the incident is urged to call Captain Ntlane Rasedile at 082 565 8566, Crime Stop at 086 00 10111, or the local police station or MySAPSApp.
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