Cape Town - An international security company which has posted a travel alert on its website, warning visitors to avoid “lower-income areas of Cape Town” has drawn ire as it could impact on the local tourism industry.
Crisis24, which has branches in 11 cities around the world, published the following “advice” on its website crisis24.garda.com: “Consider avoiding non-essential travel to lower-income areas of Cape Town, particularly at night and unescorted. Maintain a low public profile and do not show outward displays of wealth, particularly if travelling alone and in higher-risk locations. Do not discuss plans and routes publicly.”
This follows the latest kidnapping of a Ukrainian woman, Anichka Penev, who was snatched outside her husband Simeon’s factory, Nioro Plastics, in Blackheath, on Thursday morning.
Weekend newspapers reported that a R5 million ransom had been sought for the 35-year-old’s release, according to sources close to the investigation.
Security footage showed the woman, whose yellow Audi R8 had been sandwiched by two vehicles, being spirited away by a group of men.
Penev, who was alone in the luxury sports car at the time, had attempted to flee the vehicle from the front passenger’s door, but was overpowered by the group and bundled into one of the white vehicles.
Two shots were reportedly fired. Police are investigating cases of kidnapping and attempted murder. SAPS spokesperson Frederick van Wyk said the matter was still under investigation, and that there were no new developments at this stage.
The matter is also currently under investigation by the Provincial Organised Crime kidnapping team.
Meanwhile, the body of kidnapped 8-year-old boy Lukhololwam Mkontwana, from Nyanga, was found in Siqalo last week after a ransom demand of R100 000 was made.
Cape Town Tourism CEO Enver Duminy called the travel warning “misleading”.
“The warning, issued by Crisis24, is misleading in linking it to the tourism agenda, as it is believed that the lady who was kidnapped is in fact a resident of Cape Town, who has Ukrainian origin.
“Regardless, this doesn’t take away from the fact that this horrible crime took place. The impact of these negative warnings can naturally affect travellers who may be hesitant in visiting Cape Town, or any other global cities where the consideration of safety is high,” he said.
On Friday, SAPS agreed to make use of the City of Cape Town’s specialised units to form an inter-governmental kidnapping and extortion task force.
Mayco member for Safety and Security JP Smith said the City was ready to play an operational role in supporting SAPS, interdicting these crimes and ensuring that convictions take place.
Smith added that while kidnappings were a major concern in Cape Town, he insisted that the city was not a hot spot for the crime.
“Cape Town statistics are still comparatively low compared to that of Gauteng. Of the 30 worst kidnapping stations in the country, 22 of them are in Gauteng, seven are KZN, and one is in Mpumalanga. That doesn’t make us feel any better about the statistics we do have. They’re alarming and they’re indicative of a failure of the state to deal with organised crime.”
Smith said this was due to the failure in policing, successful prosecutions and crime intelligence. With kidnappings for ransom, none of the Western Cape kidnapping cases have resulted in a conviction.
He added investigations pointed to a Mozambican syndicate being behind the extortion of business owners.
“I am not aware of any or many of the Gauteng ones either in KZN or elsewhere and that means that these kidnapping syndicates are getting more and more aggressive,” he said.
“It does appear that many of the kidnapping syndicates that have been responsible for the kidnappings elsewhere in the country, but specifically in Cape Town, relate to a syndicate that has its roots in Mozambique, from what I’m told, and the syndicate relating to Penev, is not the same as the others.
“This relates, allegedly, to an empowerment entity or that presents itself as an empowerment entity who has apparently been attempting to shake down or extort some factory and property owners and where it is claimed that they are behind the kidnapping.”