{"id":49494,"date":"2025-05-29T09:01:46","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T13:01:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/south-africa-police-target-gang-kidnapping-women-in-shopping-centres\/29\/05\/2025\/"},"modified":"2025-05-29T09:01:46","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T13:01:46","slug":"south-africa-police-target-gang-kidnapping-women-in-shopping-centres","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/south-africa-police-target-gang-kidnapping-women-in-shopping-centres\/29\/05\/2025\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africa police target gang kidnapping women in shopping centres"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">South African police hunting the culprits in the recent murder of a university student say they have broken up a gang targeting women in shopping centres.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Olorato Mongale&#8217;s body was discovered on Sunday in Lombardy, north of Johannesburg, about two hours after she was reported missing having gone on a date.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Late on Wednesday, they named three suspects they believe may be involved in her death.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;We have broken [the] back of a syndicate that is targeting women, especially young women, in malls&#8230; for kidnapping and robbery,&#8221; said police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The police also said they had seized the vehicle, a VW Polo, that was allegedly used in the murder of the 30-year-old student.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;The vehicle was found with traces of blood inside at a panel beater workshop in Phoenix, Durban,&#8221; said Brig Mathe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">One man, who police believed was the owner of the vehicle, has been arrested.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Photographs of three other suspects &#8211; Fezile Ngubane, Philangenkosi Sibongokuhle Makhanya and Bongani Mthimkhulu &#8211; who are said to be on the run, have been released by police.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Two of the suspects &#8211; Mr Makhanya and Mr Mthimkhulu &#8211; were last month arrested for kidnapping and robbing a woman in KwaZulu-Natal, using the same vehicle, police said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The two are currently out on bail, according to Brig Mathe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">She said the three suspects were &#8220;dangerous&#8221; and cautioned members of the public not to approach them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;These suspects are warned to hand themselves over at their nearest police station.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Police have seized a VW Polo believed to have been used in the murder [South Africa police \/ X]<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Ms Mongale was last seen on Sunday in the company of a man she had met a few days earlier at a shopping centre.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">CCTV footage showed her leaving a location in Kew, Johannesburg, and walking towards a white VW Polo, with fake licence plates.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Her friends said she was invited for a date by a man only identified as John, who she had met in Johannesburg, where she was studying for a postgraduate degree at Witwatersrand University.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">She texted one of her friends shortly before leaving home, saying that she was excited and getting ready for her date.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">But police later found her body in an open field, sparking public outrage and calls for justice.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Family spokesperson Criselda Kananda said Ms Mongale&#8217;s body was &#8220;brutally violated&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">A candlelight vigil was held on Wednesday evening in Lombardi West, at the site where her body was found.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Family and friends have described her as an outspoken, bubbly woman who &#8220;lived with purpose and love&#8221;, local media reported.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Ms Mongale was a journalism graduate from Rhodes University and worked briefly as a multimedia reporter at the TimesLIVE news website.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">While working as a journalist, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-africa-43979207?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Byahoo.north.america%5D-%5Blink%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:she covered the murder of Karabo Mokoena;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">she covered the murder of Karabo Mokoena<\/a> &#8211; a young woman who was murdered by her boyfriend in 2017.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Ms Mongale&#8217;s killing has sparked a fierce debate about the levels of violence faced by women in South Africa.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">It is the latest femicide in a country which has a particular problem with violence against women.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">About 137 women have been killed and more than 1,000 raped in South Africa between January and March, according to the latest crime statistics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In 2020, an average of one woman died at the hands of her intimate partner every eight hours, according to a study by the University of the Free State.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In 2019, South Africa ranked among the five countries with the highest rates of the murder of women, <a href=\"https:\/\/dataunodc.un.org\/data\/homicide\/Homicide%20rate%20by%20sex\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:according to the United Nations.;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">according to the United Nations.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The country also has one of the highest rates of sexual violence in the world, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statssa.gov.za\/?p=17674\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:with rape being the most reported crime against children;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">with rape being the most reported crime against children<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">You may also be interested in:<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"A woman looking at her mobile phone and the graphic BBC News Africa\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"295\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/76H4X1N6iC1jKUucgqbLKg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTI5NQ--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/bbc_us_articles_995\/c7a608b642136b2879dce57f6fb5d461\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>[Getty Images\/BBC]<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Go to <\/em><a href=\"http:\/\/bbcafrica.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:BBCAfrica.com;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><em>BBCAfrica.com<\/em><\/a><em> for more news from the African continent.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Follow us on Twitter <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BBCAfrica\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:@BBCAfrica;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><em>@BBCAfrica<\/em><\/a><em>, on Facebook at <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BBCnewsafrica\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:BBC Africa;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><em>BBC Africa<\/em><\/a><em> or on Instagram at <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bbcafrica\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:bbcafrica;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><em>bbcafrica<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">BBC Africa podcasts<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/africa-police-name-suspects-linked-095346561.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>South African police hunting the culprits in the recent murder of a university student say they have broken up a gang targeting<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/south-africa-police-target-gang-kidnapping-women-in-shopping-centres\/29\/05\/2025\/\">Read More 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