South Africa is officially a kidnapping hotspot

Bongani Bingwa interviews Lizette Lancaster, Manager of the Crime and Justice Information Hub at the Institute for Security Studies.

Listen below.

South Africa has surged to sixth place globally in kidnappings for ransom, a troubling trend reflected in insurance data and confirmed by OLEA, a prominent provider of insurance services.

The World Population Review highlighted this rise, particularly in the realm of "express kidnappings," which entail brief abductions rather than prolonged captivity.

According to Lancaster, express kidnappings have witnessed a concerning uptick in recent decades, often intertwined with hijackings or other forms of theft.

"It emerged about 10 years ago."

- Lizette Lancaster, Manager of the Crime and Justice Information Hub – Institute for Security Studies

Alarmingly, approximately 75% of reported kidnapping cases to law enforcement involve this swift and targeted form of abduction, with an average of 46 to 50 incidents reported daily.

Traditionally, perpetrators would detain victims to obtain bank cards, resorting to stopping at multiple ATMs to withdraw funds.

However, with the advent of banking apps accessible via smartphones, there has been a surge in such crimes, perceived as low-risk yet yielding high rewards.

"This is almost an easier form to get money."

- Lizette Lancaster, Manager of the Crime and Justice Information Hub – Institute for Security Studies

Lancaster emphasises that these kidnappings capitalise on victims caught off guard, characterised by opportunistic perpetrators exploiting individuals in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Given the spontaneous nature of these crimes and the vulnerability of unsuspecting victims, law enforcement faces significant challenges in effectively combatting them, she adds.

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.