Kidnapped Gqeberha woman rescued, reunited with her family

An Eastern Cape pensioner who had been kidnapped at the weekend has been reunited with her family, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (known as Hawks) confirmed. 

Lindsay Knowlden, 65, was abducted during the early morning hours on Saturday, June 21, in Gqeberha. 

At the time, Atlas Security released the news on their Facebook page. 

The security company said they were first on the scene and had been working closely with authorities, using their extensive network of CCTV cameras across Nelson Mandela Bay. 

Atlas Security said they were aware of a ransom demand being made for Knowlden's release.

The provincial spokesperson for the Hawks, Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana, confirmed the incident and the rescue of the woman. 

“The Hawks in the Eastern Cape can confirm that a 65-year-old female victim, who was reportedly abducted on the morning of June 21, 2025, in Gqeberha, has been safely reunited with her family in the early hours of this morning, June 25, 2025. Following her recovery, the victim was examined by medical professionals,” Mhlakuvana said. 

“At this stage, we kindly request that the family be afforded the privacy and time they need to process and recover from this distressing ordeal. The investigation remains ongoing, and we continue to pursue all possible leads,” Mhlakuvana said. 

The Hawks are urging anyone who may have information that could assist in their investigation to come forward. All information shared will be dealt with confidentially and identities will be protected. 

robin.francke@iol.co.za

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