A 45-year-old teacher was kidnapped on the grounds of Happydale Special School in Algoa Park, Nelson Mandela Bay, on Monday morning, with the incident captured on CCTV.
Happydale Special School teacher kidnapping caught on camera
The abduction occurred shortly after 08:00, just after the school’s morning assembly had concluded.
According to Eastern Cape police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge, three men in a white Toyota Corolla followed the teacher onto school property, forced her into their car, and fired two shots into the air before fleeing the scene.
Beetge confirmed that the incident is being investigated by the Algoa Park police station and that no ransom demand has yet been made.
Video footage shows the teacher arriving in her grey Toyota Fortuner and parking in the school lot.
Moments later, a white sedan pulls in behind her. Three men exit the vehicle and quickly approach her. In the footage, the men can be seen forcibly dragging her into the backseat of their car.
A male staff member, who witnessed the event, rushed to the victim’s car in a failed attempt to intervene. Another staff member reportedly followed the suspects by car but was unable to catch up.
The teacher’s identity has not yet been publicly released, as authorities work to contact her family.
Several colleagues who were present during the incident described it as traumatic. One teacher said the victim screamed loudly during the abduction and appeared extremely frightened.
Another shared that the victim’s husband is a well-known businessman in the metro area, though police have not commented on whether this connection may be relevant to the motive.
Police investigations are ongoing, with detectives collecting witness statements and analysing the surveillance footage to identify the suspects.
Watch footage of the brazen abduction below:
Eastern Cape is dealing with a kidnapping syndicate
The abduction at Happydale Special School is the latest in a series of kidnappings in the Eastern Cape, raising concerns about an organised criminal network operating in the region.
Law enforcement officials have not confirmed if this incident is directly linked to a syndicate, but police sources indicate that the province has been experiencing an increase in similar crimes, often targeting individuals with perceived access to wealth or influence.
Earlier in 2025, multiple kidnapping cases were reported across the province, including incidents involving businesspeople and professionals.
These operations are believed to involve well-coordinated groups using vehicles to abduct victims in broad daylight, sometimes with the use of firearms and without immediate ransom demands.
While some victims have been released after negotiations, others remain missing.
The rise in abductions has prompted Eastern Cape authorities to work more closely with national police intelligence units to determine the scope and structure of the groups behind these crimes.
In the meantime, police are urging the public to come forward with any information that could assist in locating the teacher and apprehending the suspects involved in Monday’s abduction.
