The five suspects who were arrested in Houghton, Johannesburg, for the possession of a hijacked vehicle and an unlicensed firearm are set to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Stolen goods, including an unlicensed firearm that shoots only blanks, as well as a white Toyota Corolla were recovered with reports suggesting that the stolen vehicle was hijacked from an Uber driver in Norwood at around midnight.
The suspects, among them a grandson of the late Nelson Mandela, are reported to have held the victim hostage before dropping him off in Benoni at 6am on Wednesday morning before proceeding to drive and park the vehicle at the Mandela home.
Around midnight, a white Toyota Corolla was reported stolen from an Uber driver in Norwood, prompting prompt action from the authorities. the victim, taken hostage during the incident, has been confirmed uninjured and successfully lodged a complaint at a nearby police station that same morning.
According to Xolani Fihla, spokesperson for the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), the hijacked individual was assaulted in Johannesburg and taken on a harrowing journey before being abandoned in Benoni.
“The victim was able to emerge from this ordeal unharmed, and we are grateful for his courage in reporting the incident promptly,” Fihla stated.
During the raid, law enforcement officials also uncovered an unlicensed firearm that only fires blanks. There are reports suggesting the presence of stolen goods and drug paraphernalia at the Houghton property.