FORMER members of the Zimbabwe National Army now eking out a crooked living in South Africa this week stand accused of blackmailing Nelson Mandela's former wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela by kidnapping her nephew and then demanding a ransom to spare his life.
Our correpondent reveals that the Madikizela-Mandela’s nephew, Msuthu Madikizela, was kidnapped by a syndicate operating between South Africa and Zimbabwe last week.
The syndicate, known as Magomagoma, demanded R1800 from Madikizela-Mandela and threatened to kill Msuthu if she failed to pay.
Madikizela-Mandela agreed to pay the ransom last Saturday and made arrangements with the police to bust the gang.
But when the cops arrived at the spot where the ransom was supposed to be paid, Msuthu’s uncle, who was not aware of the police sting operation, had already paid the kidnappers.
A source close to the police team investigating the syndicate claims Madikizela-Mandela paid R800 but the gang demanded more.
The 23-year-old Msuthu is the son of Madikizela-Mandela’s brother Stanford Sithembisile Madikizela, who died in exile in Zambia.
Sithembisile, whose combat name was Victor Nxumalo, was late ANC president Oliver Tambo’s driver.
Msuthu was crossing the border illegally to come and join his brother Zolile, who already lives with Madikizela- Mandela, when he was caught by members of the syndicate.
Police confirmed this week that they are investigating a kidnap syndicate operating between South Africa and Zimbabwe.
A police source says: “The syndicate’s modus operandi is to ‘arrest’ illegal border jumpers and ask them to phone relatives and friends already in South Africa to arrange for a ransom in exchange for their freedom.
“If the ransom is not paid, the victims, who are kept somewhere in the bush, are starved to death or fed alive to crocodiles.
“We have some witnesses who claim to have seen people fed to crocodiles and others dying of hunger.
“We are told there are a lot of human bones in the area where they are kept until the ransom is paid.”
Police also confirm that the syndicate involves some members of the South African National Defence Force and their Zimbabwean counterparts.
Police spokesman Musa Zondi confirms that Madikizela-Mandela’s nephew was kidnapped.
“I can confirm that a minor (sic) related to Madikizela-Mandela was held against his will in exchange for money,” he says.
“After police received the report, we moved swiftly to the address given, only to find that somebody had already paid the ransom and the gang
had left.”
Zondi couldn’t confirm or deny that Madikizela-Mandela had paid R800 towards her nephew’s freedom.
Madikizela-Mandela could not be reached for comment after she initially agreed to talk to us about the matter. Mzilikazi Wa Africa/Zim Diaspora
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written by Maidei, September 21, 2009
written by Lochard, September 21, 2009
What baffles the mind is why would a supposedly South African want to cross illegally into the country? I have paid SANDF members and SA immigration officials several times to facilitate some relatives coming here into SA. I also came the same way! It has nothing to do with Zim soldiers!
written by Myekeleni Manzini, September 21, 2009
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