South Africans assault and kidnap a Zimbabwean

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Five people, including a policeman and a reservist, were arrested for allegedly kidnapping and assaulting a Zimbabwean man on Wednesday, Johannesburg police said.

"The five men demanded that the victim pay R50,000 and hand over his Audi A4 in return for his release," Inspector Moses Maphakela said.The man had arranged to meet one of the suspects at a Nando’s restaurant in Savoy Estate, Sandton on Tuesday night, Maphakela said.

"The victim had only arranged to meet one man, but when he arrived, he saw there were four others present. They told him to get in the car, he refused and tried to run away."

The gang chased the man and forced him into the car before driving him to a house in Alexandra.The victim was forced to phone his uncle to ask him to arrange a R50,000 ransom payment.

The uncle went straight to Bramley police station to report the kidnapping.Maphakela said the uncle then drove to Balfour Park Shopping Centre where he parked the victim’s car, leaving the keys in the ignition.

When the five men approached the car to get their ransom, police arrested them.A 27-year-old detective constable from Randburg police station and a 56-year-old police reservist from Alexandra were among the five men arrested. Both carried state firearms.

"Police arrested all five suspects at the scene, however we suspect that there were four more people involved and on the run," Maphakela said.

The five men were still in custody and face charges of kidnapping and robbery.