Two women missing after being kidnapped during home invasion

Elderly victims' whereabouts is still unknown

Nandi Ntini Social Justice News Reporter
A suspect was arrested at a nearby informal settlement but the fate of the two elderly women is still not yet known.
A suspect was arrested at a nearby informal settlement but the fate of the two elderly women is still not yet known.
Image: ISTOCK

Two women who were living alone on a farm in the south of Joburg are missing after being kidnapped by their attackers during a home invasion two days ago.

Hester Flemming, 52, and her mother Cecilia Johanna Flemming, 82, were attacked at a farm on Caymen Road in Eikenhof, near Eye of Africa estate about 10pm on Saturday.

A suspect was arrested at a nearby informal settlement but the fate of the two elderly women is still not yet known.

Gauteng police spokesperson Col Mavela Masondo said a case of house robbery, kidnapping and theft of motor vehicles has been opened at Kliprivier police station.

As the two women lived alone, Masondo said police were made aware of the situation after a relative kept calling but could not get through to them.

When the relative rushed to the scene, he found the house ransacked, the two women missing together with two cars then called the police.

“One suspect was arrested at the informal settlement after he was found with some of the items that were taken from the house. The search is ongoing for the other suspects and the two women have not yet been found,” said Masondo. 

Mike Bolhuis, a specialist investigator, said the suspect reportedly gained entry into the farm by cutting through the fence and breaking the security gate at the house. Once inside, they ransacked the house and stolen two vehicles, he said.

“One of the stolen vehicles was recovered in Thokoza early on October 26. The second vehicle, a metallic green Isuzu double cab LDV, registration CB01WRGP is still missing. We suspect that the two women have been taken by the suspects.

“No ransom demands or other communications have been made by the suspects or the victims at this time,” said Bolhuis.

In August, Renee Lea was driving into her Mpumalanga home when 21-year-old Cuan Karelse allegedly attacked her, tied her up, robbed her of belongings, wrapped her in a carpet, put her in the boot of her car, and drove with her to Pretoria. 

Lea's body was later found in the boot of her Range Rovers with cables about her neck and her mouth covered with tape.

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