The family of businessman Gert Pretorius gathered at the Grace Community Church in Newcastle on Wednesday to give him an emotional sendoff days after he was lured to his death by a hijacking syndicate operating in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
The 49-year-old owner of Majuba Glass was the first fatality in a spate of hijackings that has plagued the Esicabazini area, near the Tembe Elephant Park bordering Mozambique, leaving at least 12 people having fallen victim.
Pretorius’s brother, Marius, who runs the family business, said he received a call from a man by the name of “Frits” on Saturday September 21 requesting an urgent quotation, and he had referred him to Pretorius.
He said his brother had contacted him the following day to say he had arranged an appointment, but felt very uneasy about it.
“Last I heard from him was at about 9am on Sunday. He told me he was on his way there but this guy kept phoning him to ask if he’s still coming, nagging him to come now.”
Pretorius’s wife, Mandie, opened a missing person’s case shortly after his mobile phone was switched off hours after the meeting.
A manhunt was launched and Jozini residents reported seeing a Toyota Hilux bakkie with Majuba Glass signage being driven around by suspicious people.
“Police located his bakkie and forced it to stop. Three men got out and ran in different directions. They got the bakkie but Gert was not present,” his brother said.
Marius’s worst nightmare came true when he received a call early on Monday confirming that his brother’s body had been found on a provincial road, with a gunshot wound to the head.
Police located his bakkie and forced it to stop. Three men got out and ran in different directions
— Marius Pretorius
This was just one of 12 such cases reported in September and known to the Sunday Times.
Police spokesperson Lt-Col Thulani Zwane said he could not confirm the number of cases reported as crime statistics could only be released by the police minister. He confirmed that police were investigating.
Despite police recently warning the public about this new hijacking modus operandi in the northern part of the province, businessmen continue to fall victim to it.
Police officer Ndabezinhle Dladla and his family were hijacked, held hostage and forced to pay a ransom of R30,000 before being released. Dladla, assigned to the public order policing unit at the Marianhill police station in Durban, was held hostage — with his son, who owns a construction company, and his wife — for more than eight hours after responding to a request for a roof-thatching quotation.
They were ambushed by seven men when they arrived for the appointment and Dladla’s police firearm was stolen.
“They demanded cash; they wanted R50,000,” Dladla said.
“I told them we could not arrange that amount of money.”
They were eventually able to raise a portion of the ransom, after which they were released and told by the perpetrators to go and open a case at the Emanguzi police station.
They demanded cash; they wanted R50,00. I told them we could not arrange that amount of money
— Police officer Ndabezinhle Dladla, who was hijacked with his family
On September 6, police issued a warning that syndicates in the border area were targeting business owners, who would receive a call from a member of a gang requesting a call-out for a quotation.
Police minister Bheki Cele told the Sunday Times that he was “fully aware and being kept abreast on the activities happening at the border”.
He added: “There is a structure that has been formed between SA and Mozambique to act on the criminal activities in that area.
“I cannot give you more details on its operations and formation. However, I can confirm that regular feedback and communication between the two countries also takes place on this platform.”
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