"Grateful to be alive" says kidnapped businessman after 19-hour ordeal
A Durban man, who was kidnapped and held for more than 19 hours at a property in Inanda says he's grateful to be alive.
The 36-year-old businessman, who's asked not to be named has spoken to Newswatch about his ordeal.
He says he was taken from a Bellair home at 3 in the morning last Tuesday, "I heard a knock, somebody called my name and I was alone. When I opened the door, about four armed men came in a threw a cover over my head and threw me into the back of the car. They were hitting me along the way."
The victim says his captors took him to a property where they continued to repeatedly beat him up as they demanded money from him.
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He says he was forced to phone different family members to ask them to send cash. The man says he even reached out to his father with whom he was estranged.
He says he was saved while they were waiting for the delivery of the last stash of ransom.
"After everything was confirmed that I tried and I have given them close to R 20 000. Now I'm begging them to at least spare my life, then ten minutes later, the captors run away. I hear a knock and I see Metro officers came to rescue me. I was so happy but I was beaten up so badly," he said.
The man is undergoing counselling.
He's thanked the eThekwini Metro Police who rescued him and says he appreciates life even more.
"During that time I was captured, all I was asking the men to take anything they want just spare my life. They took my laptop and my phone. I appreciate the work that was done by eThekwini Metro."
One suspect has been arrested while the others remain at large, police investigations are continuing. .
Listen to the interview below:
