All four young sons of a wealthy couple have been snatched on their way to school, with
The Moti family lawyer, Philip Smit, said the distraught parents desperately awaiting contact from the kidnappers and were playing the waiting game.
He said: “The father and mother are very stressed and it’s very traumatic for them. The criminals have not only taken one child, they have taken all their children – so you can imagine how stressful it is for them. But they are getting support from their family, friends and community. We pray for a positive outcome soon.”
The four children Zidan, Zayyad, Alaan and Zia Moti, aged 6, 11, 13 and 15, were kidnapped at around 7 am on the morning of Wednesday, 21st October.
The four brothers were apparently snatched while being driven by their chauffeur from their home in the neighbourhood of Nirvana to the Curro Heuwelkruin Independent School they attend in the city of Polokwane (formerly Pietersburg) in the South African province of Limpopo.
The boys are the sons of Nazim and Shakira Moti. Both of Indian origin, Nazim is a prominent local businessman who reportedly owns the Polokwane car dealership ‘Auto Moti’. His net worth is unknown.
Despite no contact having yet been made by the kidnappers at the time of reporting, it is presumed they snatched the youngsters in return for a ransom payment.
Local media including The Citizen and Review Online reported that two vehicles blocked the path of the BMW in which the boys were travelling on the R37 provincial route. One was described as a silver-grey or champagne-coloured Kia Sorento and the other as a black Mercedes-Benz. Neither car reportedly had licence plates.
According to local media including IOL, the boys were taken by seven heavily-armed men wearing white overalls, with the police swiftly launching a large-scale manhunt for them. The search operation has reportedly since been expanded to other provinces.
According to IOL, shots were fired during the taking of the children, though the 64-year-old chauffeur was reportedly unharmed. The boys’ mobile phones were found dumped in the Polokwane neighbourhood of Flora Park.
The hashtag #MotiBrothers has been trending on Twitter as well-wishers hope for the boys’ safe return.
