Three women have been released after being held hostage at a hair salon in Vanderbijlpark, Vaal Rand police said on Friday night.
Captain William Mcera said three women had been released from Merle’s Hair Boutique on Attie Fourie road at about 5.45pm, but ”according to the negotiators there are still a few of them inside”.
Mcera said the women were ”traumatised and in shock” and unable to be interviewed by the police. They were otherwise unharmed.
He said it was not known how many hostages were still inside the salon, but there was only one hostage taker.
One woman who answered the telephone at about 5.30pm told the South African Press Association she was ”very scared. He’s holding a gun to us.” She said she was just answering the phone ”to speak to the police”.
Mcera had said earlier on Friday that four women were being held hostage in the hair salon, but at 6pm he said the initial report was incorrect.
Although the incident started out as a robbery, Mcera said it became a hostage drama when passers-by saw a robber and raised the alarm.
”He [the hostage-taker] is armed with a firearm and a knife,” he said. ”He is demanding R50 000 from the police.”
Mcera said police were ”still busy negotiating”. — Sapa