Pretoria – Kidnapped Nkangala District Municipality manager Maggie Skosana and her driver, Gugu Mtsweni have been found.
The duo was allegedly kidnapped by a group of people who were wearing police uniforms last week.
In a video circulated by the Mpumalanga provincial government this morning, Premier Mtshweni-Tsipane said the duo have been rescued and looked unharmed.
“We can say that from the physical analysis, she is fine. Emotionally, obviously there is the trauma that goes with kidnapping. You can appreciate the magnitude of the trauma that they have been through. She was found around the N14, that is what we know up to thus far,” she said.
“There is still some work that needs to be done. Of importance now is to ensure that they get well, they are being attended accordingly, in line with requirements set out by the police. Immediately after that, they will be integrated back to their families. Perhaps we need to give them space with their loved ones.”
Earlier this week, the police in Mpumalanga intensified calls for community members to come forward with information that could assist in finding the two missing women.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Mpumalanga provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said investigations into the kidnapping were wide, and police were also looking into whether the case was linked to Skosana’s work.
“We are not going to close our net … we have opened all the doors. There is a possibility that it might be possible that this is something that has to do with her work but, at the same time, there is a possibility that it might be a pure criminal activity, or it is something new that we haven’t seen in our province,” Mohlala said.
On Wednesday, eThekwini Municipality mayor Mxolisi Kaunda called for the safe return of the municipal manager.
Addressing councillors during an executive committee meeting yesterday, Kaunda said the situation in Mpumalanga had touched him because he had met the municipal manager when she applied for the post of eThekwini municipal manager.
“The situation that happened in Mpumalanga has touched me as I know the person involved, the municipal manager who was kidnapped with her bodyguard.”
The municipality has completed a search to fill the position of municipal manager and interviewed many candidates.
DA councillor Thabani Mthethwa said in the initial interview process, Skosana was among the top three candidates recommended for the post and she was interviewed again when the process was started afresh.
After the kidnapping, Skosana’s vehicle was found abandoned at a mine. The municipal manager's wheelchair – she is disabled – and other items believed to belong to her and the driver were found in the vehicle.
It was reported this week that the alleged kidnappers had demanded a ransom of millions of rand.
IOL