North West police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone indicated that efforts by Bojanala Platinum Sub-District 1 team comprising Detectives, Visible Policing, Crime Intelligence as well as Mooinooi Community Patrollers and various private security companies’ personnel yielded positive results when a 71-year-old kidnapping victim was found unharmed on Wednesday evening, 24 September 2025, in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province.
This comes after the victim was allegedly kidnapped on Tuesday evening, 23 September 2025, at Elandskraal, in the policing area of Mooinooi near Brits.
According to information, an unconfirmed number of suspects entered the victim’s house in his absence, then kidnapped him on arrival.
Mokgwabone said the suspects allegedly put the victim inside a vehicle and left the premises.
“The motive of the kidnapping is still unknown, and an investigation into the matter continues to ensure that those responsible are identified and arrested.
“The Acting Provincial Commissioner of Police in the North West, Major General Dintletse Molefe, commended the District Commissioner and team members for their persistent efforts to ensure that the victim is found. She stated further that no stone will be left unturned in ascertaining that perpetrators are brought to book,” said Mokgwabone.
Meanwhile, the weekly High Density Operation Shanela operations conducted between Monday, 15 September 2025 and Sunday, 21 September 2025, resulted in the arrest of 1 038 suspects for different transgressions across the Province.
The operations, among others, focused on stop and searches, roadblocks, vehicle check points (VCPs), high-visibility patrols including foot patrols, the tracing of wanted suspects as well as visits to liquor outlets, taverns, and second-hand goods premises. The arrested suspects included 21 for murder, 10 for robbery, 43 for rape, 275 for assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH), 70 for common assault, 12 for burglary at business and residential premises, 19 for illegal possession of firearms, 30 for driving whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs, 76 for contravention of the Immigration Act, 24 for illegal dealing in liquor and 129 for possession of drugs.
Police spokesperson Colonel Adele Myburgh confirmed out of the 1 038 suspects, 489 were circulated wanted suspects and nabbed by Detectives after being linked to the committed crimes through forensic DNA and other leads.
“Furthermore, police confiscated 18 firearms, 82 fireworks, three vehicles, 99 rounds of ammunition, three cellular phones, tablets, laptops, liquor and a variety of drugs and tobacco products.
“In Lomanyaneng, in the early hours of the morning on Wednesday, 17 September 2025, a security guard at a school was overpowered by three men, wearing balaclavas. The men pointed the victim with a firearm and tied them before gaining entry into the staff room where they stole tablets and laptops. The security guard was only rescued the next morning by cleaners while reporting on duty. Acting on a tip-off received, police proceeded to a house in Lomanyaneng on Thursday, 18 September 2025, and arrested a 37-year-old Mogomotsi Bennet Sebolaneng and recovered three laptops, 15 tablets and a gas pistol, believed to have been used during the commission of the crime,” said Myburgh.Myburgh confirmed that Sebolaneng appeared before the Molopo Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 22 September on a charge of business robbery.
He abandoned his bail application after it was established that he was out on bail for a similar offence and was remanded in custody until his next court appearance before the same court on Thursday, 30 October 2025
“In another separate incident, an intelligence driven operation conducted at Freedom Park, Phase 1, Phokeng on Thursday night, 18 September 2025, by Rustenburg Public Order Police (POP) led to the search, arrest of two males and the recovery of two firearms, ammunition, explosives as well as dye-stained money. Itu Monjane (33) and Nelson Lahlewe Huahwa (34) appeared before the Bafokeng Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 22 September 2025, on charges of possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition, explosives and dye-stained money. The pair was remanded in custody and will apply for bail at their next court appearance.”
Ongoing investigations by the Murder and Robbery Unit in Nietverdiend concerning the Masebudula incident, led to the recovery of a R1 and R5 Rifle with 25 rounds of ammunition on Saturday, 20 September 2025. Investigations are continuing.
