News24 | Cape Town baby rescued after gunmen drive off with him during hijacking

Police rescued a baby who was kidnapped when a bakkie was hijacked. (Duncan Alfreds/News24)

• Five gunmen drove off with a 4-month-old baby after hijacking a bakkie in Lingelethu West.
• The baby was found abandoned hours later.
• No one has been arrested.

A Cape Town baby was safely returned to his family after he was kidnapped during a hijacking on Saturday and found abandoned hours later.

The 4-month-old infant was inside a bakkie that was hijacked in Ilitha Park, Lingelethu West, on Saturday.

The child's father had taken him along to help his uncle to deliver chicken in his white Isuzu bakkie, police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said.

At around 15:00 in Niyakrili Street, they were approached by five men who pointed a firearm at them and demanded their phones. The armed men got into the bakkie and drove off while the baby was still inside.

"The [father] tried to get a brick to break the window of the [bakkie] in order for the suspects to stop but they kept on going. [He] then immediately reported the incident to the police," Van Wyk said.

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The child was later found abandoned in Makhaza near the Golden Arrow bus stands.

He has been reunited with his family and the bakkie has since been recovered in Harare.

Van Wyk added:

"An appeal is hereby made to anyone with information regarding this incident to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111."

In June 2023, a 4-month-old baby boy was kidnapped in Soweto. He was rescued by police hours after being abducted from his Dobsonville home.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the kidnappers "fled with the infant and immediately started demanding a ransom payment from the family".