Kempton Park has emerged as the hotspot for kidnapping in Gauteng after recording 76 kidnappings between April and June 2026, the Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety said following a stakeholder briefing on 18 September.
Province at the centre of a national surge
The committee flagged the figure as particularly worrying because the city saw a 58.3% increase from the 48 cases recorded in the same quarter in 2025. At a provincial level, Gauteng registered 2,367 kidnappings between April and June 2026 — more than half of the 4,638 cases reported nationally for the quarter, according to South African Police Service (SAPS) statistics presented to the committee.
Committee Chairperson Bandile Masuku said the numbers warrant an urgent, coordinated response involving intensified policing, targeted intelligence-led investigations and visible interventions to safeguard residents.
“The figures are particularly concerning given the recent discovery of the bodies of several women in the broader Ekurhuleni area,”
Masuku stressed that investigations into those deaths are ongoing, but that the elevated kidnapping rate in Kempton Park demanded immediate action.
Different modes of kidnapping, including ransom demands
The committee noted that kidnapping in Gauteng is taking varied forms. SAPS highlighted trends that include hijacking-related kidnappings, where victims are restrained or taken during vehicle hijackings, and an increase in kidnappings for ransom.
During the SAPS presentation, the established organised crime team reported dealing with high-value ransom cases in the first quarter of the current financial year. The presentation referenced incidents in Bekkersdal and Roodepoort where ransom demands of R5 million and R3 million respectively were reportedly made.
- Kempton Park: 76 kidnappings (Apr–Jun 2026)
- Gauteng total: 2,367 kidnappings (Apr–Jun 2026)
- National total: 4,638 kidnappings (Apr–Jun 2026)
| Area | Apr–Jun 2025 | Apr–Jun 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kempton Park | 48 | 76 | +58.3% |
| Gauteng (province) | — | 2,367 | — |
| South Africa (national) | — | 4,638 | — |
What the committee calls for
The Portfolio Committee has urged a coordinated response across provincial and municipal safety structures, requesting that SAPS prioritise intelligence-driven operations in high-risk precincts. The committee emphasised the need for visible policing, improved coordination with metro police and heightened community engagement to disrupt criminal networks involved in kidnappings.
Masuku warned that without urgent action the trends observed in Kempton Park and other parts of Gauteng could deepen, noting that the nature of the offences — including ransom demands and hijacking-related abductions — point to organised criminal involvement.
Local impact and community concerns
Residents and business owners in affected areas have been left anxious by the numbers. Kidnapping incidents, particularly those linked to hijackings or ransom, often have broader knock-on effects: people avoid travelling at certain times, informal businesses change operating hours, and public confidence in safety measures weakens.
The committee’s briefing comes amid broader efforts by provincial authorities to tackle violent crime, but the scale and severity of the kidnapping statistics have refocused attention on emergency responses and prevention strategies.
For now, authorities say investigations continue. SAPS and the organised crime unit were reported as actively pursuing leads in the ransom cases cited and have been asked to provide progress updates to the legislature’s committee.
Community members are urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious behaviour to their local police station. Where possible, residents should follow safety advice from law enforcement and municipal safety offices while authorities step up targeted operations in areas identified as high risk.
