Kempton Park tops Gauteng kidnapping cases as committee demands urgent response

Kempton Park recorded more than any other precinct in Gauteng for kidnapping between April and June 2026, with 76 cases against 48 in the same period in 2025, an increase of 58.3%.

The figure comes from the South African Police Service’s latest crime statistics, presented to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety during a stakeholder engagement on Friday, 18 September 2026. The committee met to interrogate the prevalence, causes and impact of kidnapping in the province, according to a SAnews (South African Government News Agency) report of the engagement.

Committee chairperson Bandile Masuku said the numbers make Kempton Park the highest recording precinct in Gauteng for the quarter.

“The figures are particularly concerning given the recent discovery of the bodies of several women in the broader Ekurhuleni area. While investigations into these deaths remain ongoing, the Committee believes the exceptionally high kidnapping figures in Kempton Park demand intensified policing, intelligence-led investigations and visible interventions to protect residents,” Masuku said.

At provincial level, Gauteng recorded 2 367 kidnapping cases between April and June 2026, more than half of the 4 638 cases recorded nationally in the quarter.

Masuku said kidnapping in the province takes different forms, including hijacking-related cases where victims are unlawfully restrained or taken during vehicle hijackings, and a growing threat of kidnapping for ransom.

A SAPS presentation to the committee disclosed that the established organised crime team dealt with ransom kidnapping cases in Bekkersdal and Roodepoort during the first quarter of the current financial year. A ransom of R5 million was reportedly demanded in the Bekkersdal case and R3 million in the Roodepoort case.

“These figures should serve as a wake-up call to every law enforcement agency and every level of government. Kidnapping cannot be treated as an isolated crime when its tentacles extend into hijacking, organised crime, ransom demands and the targeting of vulnerable people,” Masuku said.

The committee called for kidnapping to receive the highest level of attention in Gauteng, including strengthened intelligence gathering, enhanced coordination between law enforcement agencies, targeted operations in identified hotspots and stronger engagement with communities. It also urged residents to report suspicious activity and provide information that could assist investigations.

“The message from the Committee is clear: Gauteng cannot normalise kidnapping. Communities must be protected, criminal networks must be disrupted, and those responsible must face the full might of the law,” Masuku said.

The committee’s calls follow its Friday engagement. No further meetings or deadlines were announced in the SAnews report of the proceedings.

Source: SAnews (South African Government News Agency), Kempton Park records the highest number of kidnapping cases in Gauteng.