Western Cape police have launched a manhunt after a six-year-old Grade R pupil was snatched outside his home in Kensington, Cape Town on Wednesday morning.
Shanawaaz Asghar was kidnapped before 08:00 as he was heading to school. His devastated mother Shumala Asghar, 30, said everything happened very fast.
Asghar was walking the three children, including Shanawaaz, to school on Wednesday morning just before 08:00. Armed men jumped out of a silver VW polo and accosted Asghar and her children on the corner of 4th Avenue and Ninth Street.
Asghar said three of the six men were armed when Shanawaaz was grabbed and forced into the silver VW polo. No ransom demands have been made since the abduction.
The family has been living in South Africa for the past 11 years and moved to Kensington two years ago.
Shanawaaz was wearing his navy-blue school tracksuit, grey shoes and white short sleeved shirt.
Cheslyn Steenberg, the Kensington community policing form chairperson said: “The Kensington CPF can confirm that the child was kidnapped on his way to school, so it did not happen at the school, which is Hidayatul Islam Primary School.
“I can confirm I’ve just had an engagement with the investigating officer that SAPS have information of the second vehicle involved- a silver Polo and a white Polo.”
The owner of one of the getaway cars used in the kidnapping has been identified and Steenberg said the motive for the kidnapping is still under investigation.
“The two vehicles are being sought. The one has been identified; the owner has been identified. The other one we are still trying to verify. No ransom call has been received or anything like that,” he said.
It is understood that child’s father runs his brother’s business in Salt River.
Source: News24, Eyewitness News, IOL, cape{town} etc, image from cape{town}etc: Facebook
