Alize van der Merwe, a 39-year-old woman from Cape Town who was kidnapped on 20 September 2024, has been found alive.
Story Summary:
- Alize van der Merwe, kidnapped on 20 September 2024, was found alive on Thursday.
- She was dropped off by her captors at Sulenkama Police Station, alongside another victim.
- Authorities believe pressure from the Hawks led to her release.
How Alize van der Merwe was found alive
Her kidnappers released her and another victim, a 34-year-old woman, at the Sulenkama Police Station in the Eastern Cape on Thursday afternoon.
Hawks spokesperson Ndiphilwe Mhlakuvana confirmed that both women were dropped off by their captors in a white Toyota single-cab bakkie.
“Their release came after the pressure exerted by the police on the suspects,” Mhlakuvana explained.
He added that the two victims, who appeared traumatised, were being taken to a nearby hospital for medical attention.
Van der Merwe was originally kidnapped while en route to the Umngazi Resort in Port St Johns.
Her vehicle was found abandoned not far from the resort, and she had been missing since.
The second victim, a tourist from China, was reportedly abducted three days before Van der Merwe, on the road between Barkly East and Elliot.
Authorities believe the two women were kept in the same location during their captivity.
The Hawks’ investigation continues, but as reported by Daily Maverick no confirmed link has been made between this case and another incident involving the fatal shooting of four suspected kidnappers in Keiskammahoek.
