South African police have reported that Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Melusi Buthelezi was kidnapped on Thursday east of Johannesburg for ransom before being released yesterday, Friday.
Police spokesperson Demakatsu Nevoholoi said, “The victim was with his friends on the street when three unknown men attacked them, robbed them of their personal belongings, forcibly took Buthelizi, and fled in his car.”
Nevoholoi added that Mr. Buthelizi returned home unharmed, stating that the police have launched an investigation into the kidnapping, while efforts continue to apprehend the perpetrators.
This incident marks the second time the 26-year-old has fallen victim to a criminal attack in Johannesburg.
In 2022, Buthelezi was stabbed when a gang attempted to steal his car in the Soweto area west of the city.
South Africa ranks among the world’s most dangerous countries, with rates of murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, and rape exceeding those in most other countries.
The latest crime statistics released by the local police paint a bleak picture of the security situation in the country, with 7,710 people reported killed between October 1 and December 31, 2023.
