/ 11 December 2006

DA spokesperson’s daughter falls victim to crime

Great possibilities exist for combating crime if the police and the security sector ware allowed to work together, said Democratic Alliance (DA) spokesperson for community safety in Gauteng, John Moodey, on Monday.

He said this following the hijacking of his 20-year-old daughter and her boyfriend on Sunday morning.

”Working together with Matrix vehicle tracking, police saved my daughter from being raped and murdered early on Sunday morning,” Moodey said.

”This has opened my eyes to the existing possibilities and the potential if the two sectors were allowed to blend more.”

He said his daughter and her boyfriend were hijacked by three armed men while driving on the Empire Road offramp from the M1 South.

”The men then ordered the two to the back of the Toyota Yaris and the one seated with them started to assault her indecently.”

With the help of a panic button and tracking device fitted in the car, the two were located to Noordgesig near Soweto.

”I also called Provincial Commissioner Perumal Naidoo, who graciously put every resource possible onto the case,” he said.

”When the men saw a roadblock in the area, they tried to turn but they could also see a helicopter above them … that is when they threw my daughter and her boyfriend out of the car.”

Moodey said the men later abandoned the car and fled.

They are still on the run, ”but police expect to make an arrest soon”.

”I want to thank Commissioners Naidoo and Govindsamy Mariemuthoo, Matrix, the flying squad and Florida South African Police Service for giving their all and proving what can be done when everyone comes together.”

He said his daughter is coping after receiving trauma counselling.

”I was blessed in that I had the contacts that I did and that my only child was spared.” — Sapa