Wife prays for safe return of businessman kidnapped in Centurion

The wife of a businessman hijacked and kidnapped in Centurion last Thursday evening a few minutes away from his home says family members are devastated.

Ranga Gova, 35, was kidnapped while on his way home in his wife’s car at traffic lights near the Midstream Mediclinic in Centurion.

His wife Mamelo Mareko said her family are in shock and traumatised a week after her husband was snatched.

“We haven’t heard anything from him — this is really painful,” she said, adding that the family weren't coping and her mother-in-law had moved into their residential estate home so they could help each other through the ordeal.

Police have been helping the family and communicated whenever there were developments. “Obviously I won’t say much about the investigations,” she said.

“He [Gova] is usually at home. He only spends time away when he is on business trips and that doesn’t usually last for such a long time.

“My daughter doesn’t understand what is going on. She keeps going to the garage door and whenever the door opens she thinks it is her dad. She keeps trying to open the garage door and goes to the garage to see if her dad is back.”

Mareko moved to Centurion with her husband, who works in the fuel industry, about four years ago and had never experienced crime in the area.

“When you speak to other people, they mention something like this has happened to other people they know. It starts to become scary because you thought you bought a home where it is safe and secure, where you will never fear, but this thing happens.

“If there is anything [information about the kidnapping], they [the public] must just let us know because we are praying that he comes home safe. That’s the most important thing, that he comes home safe,” she said.

Gauteng police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo said the police do not comment on kidnappings while the victim is missing as it jeopardises the case.

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