[Image: Flickr]Kidnapping in South Africa has become a bit of an industry. What began as slick syndicates targeting the super-rich has morphed into a grim free-for-all, with every chancer and copycat gang wanting their slice of the ransom pie. The South African Police Service (SAPS)’s anti-kidnapping task team has racked up some stats: 437 arrests, 68 convictions, and 182 firearms off the streets in just four years. The crime intelligence national anti-kidnapping task team was set up in November 2021 after ransom kidnappings spiked. We are working around the clock to stop kidnappings before they occur.”The syndicates aren’t messing about.