Ransom demand made for Kelvin Naidoo's release

A ransom demand has been made for the release of kidnapped Gqeberha businessman Kelvin Naidoo.

Naidoo, 51, was kidnapped from outside his workplace in Korsten on Friday morning.

Provincial Hawks spokesperson Captain Yolisa Mgolodela confirmed on Saturday that a ransom demand had been received from the alleged kidnappers, however she would not disclose the amount asked for.

She said the whereabouts of Naidoo, the vice-president of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber and technical director of Auto X, was still unknown.

In the meantime, private investigator Mike Bolhuis has also been hired to look into the abduction.

According to the police, at about 6am on Friday, a white Nissan NP200 bumped into Naidoo's vehicle, forcing him to stop.

Another bakkie then stopped behind him, and five armed suspects wearing balaclavas alighted.

They forced him out of his vehicle, a black Mercedes-Benz, and shoved him into the bakkie before driving off.

The Nissan and Naidoo’s vehicle were abandoned at the scene.

Mgolodela said the Hawks could at this stage not divulge any further information as the matter was still at a sensitive stage.

“Our mission at the end of the day is to ensure the victim is freed without the payment of a ransom.”

She added: “It is also very concerning that at the end of April we held an awareness campaign that dealt extensively with incidents related to kidnappings for extortion.

“For two months this type of criminal activity has been dormant. But now it is coming to the fore again, meaning we, as the Hawks, will have to devise another strategy to try curb the occurrences of such incidents.

“We are also appealing to the public to come forward with any information that could lead to the arrests of the perpetrators.”

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