Kidnapping on the rise: Here’s how to keep yourself safe

Kidnapping is a growing crime trend in SA. Picture: iStock Almost 5 000 kidnapping cases have been reported across South Africa from October to December last year, with Gauteng accounting for over half of these cases Based on the latest crime statistics released by the South African Police Service on Thursday, kidnapping remains a serious safety concern in South Africa. Kidnapping cases jumped from 4 748 in 2024 to 4 775 in October to December 2025.

Five years ago, the number of kidnappings sat at a much lower 2 605, showing a rapid growth of 2 170 in reports of kidnappings. According to an expert, criminals gather information about victims beforehand by observing their daily routines and monitoring their movements at home or in workplaces. Victims come from different backgrounds and even include business owners, professionals, solo travellers and parents simply collecting their children from school who can all be targeted when criminals believe there may be some form of financial gain.

Ruan Vermaak, a communications manager at CrisisOnCall, said many people think kidnapping only happens in high-profile ransom cases. “While some incidents involve organised criminal networks targeting specific individuals, many occur opportunistically during crimes such as hijackings or armed robberies. In other cases, criminals may monitor routines and target victims during everyday activities such as commuting, arriving home or leaving work. “The more predictable someone’s routine or the more personal information that is publicly available, the easier it becomes to plan a crime.” CrisisOnCall is a national, private helpline centre that aids members in a crisis.