A teacher who was abducted at gunpoint outside the gates of a special needs school in Algoa Park, Gqeberha, earlier this week has been safely returned to her family. The kidnapping, which drew sharp condemnation from both education authorities and unions, remains under active investigation.
Lieutenant-Colonel Avele Fumba, spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (commonly known as the Hawks), confirmed on Thursday that the 45-year-old teacher was freed on Wednesday night.
“Due to sufficient pressure exerted by the multidisciplinary team, including the task team of the Hawks, we can confirm that the victim was safely reunited with her family on [Wednesday night],”
said Fumba.
While the circumstances surrounding her release remain unclear, Fumba stated that the question of whether a ransom was paid could not be confirmed at this stage.
“The matter remains under investigation, and we urge anyone with information that could help to accelerate our investigation to come forward.”
The educator, who is employed at Happydale Special School, had been kidnapped shortly after 8am on Monday morning. According to authorities, three armed individuals, travelling in a white Toyota Corolla, ambushed her shortly after she parked her grey Toyota Fortuner inside the school’s parking area.
Security footage and a mobile phone video of the incident, which has since circulated widely on social media platforms, depict the moments leading up to the abduction. The video shows the teacher exiting her vehicle before being forcefully taken by two men and dragged into the suspects’ car. Disturbingly, gunshots were fired into the air—presumably as a warning—while bystanders looked on in shock.
This traumatic incident has prompted widespread condemnation. The Eastern Cape Department of Education, in particular, expressed outrage over the attack. Provincial Education MEC Fundile Gade characterised the kidnapping as a direct assault on educators and the broader values of South African democracy.
“The abduction of our educators is one of the worst crimes to affect the sector. Actions like these undermine the fundamental right to life in a free and democratic country,”
Gade remarked.
In response, the department has deployed specialised personnel to the school to offer psychological counselling and emotional support to staff and learners affected by the traumatic event. Officials have also indicated that the case is being handled as a top priority, given its implications for school safety and the welfare of vulnerable children.
The school, Happydale Special School, caters to learners with special needs—a fact that has heightened concern over the breach of security on its premises.
In a statement issued after the abduction, the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) voiced deep concern, saying the attack on an educator—particularly in a school serving vulnerable students—was both reprehensible and destabilising.
“Particularly as it occurred within the premises of a special school, a space meant to provide safety and learning for vulnerable learners,”
SADTU stated.
The union warned that such acts of violence not only compromise the safety of teachers and learners, but also disrupt the fundamental mission of schools to provide education and development in a safe environment.
“This incident not only threatened the safety of learners, teachers, and support personnel but also undermined the provision of education,”
the union added.
Emphasising the importance of secure learning environments, SADTU reiterated that,
“schools must remain sanctuaries of education and development, free from crime and violence.”
As the investigation continues, both the police and education stakeholders are urging the public to assist with any relevant information that could aid in identifying and apprehending the individuals responsible for this brazen crime.
