SA Woman “Abducted” On Way To Midnight Prayer Claims Kidnappers Mistook Her For Someone Else

A South African woman who vanished on her way to a midnight church service in Newtown, Johannesburg, has sparked debate after she was found safe and sound, claiming she’d been abducted and then let go.

Mbalenhle “Miranda” Nkomo, from Windmill Park in Ekurhuleni, reportedly told her family she was dumped at a petrol station by kidnappers who said they had taken the wrong person by mistake.

Her disappearance sparked a wave of concern online over the weekend, with many speculating about her whereabouts.

But by Sunday evening, her husband Sandile Nkomo confirmed to Sowetan that she’d been found earlier that afternoon.

According to him, Mbalenhle said a group of unknown men had snatched her, only to later admit they had taken the “wrong person in the wrong car”. He said:

She alleges the abductors panicked when they couldn’t find the car tracker. They drove from Johannesburg to KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday and returned on Sunday morning.

According to Nkomo, the abductors eventually abandoned both Mbalenhle and the car. Though visibly shaken, she was not physically harmed. He added:

She said they were clearly looking for someone driving a similar vehicle. She hadn’t eaten since Friday but otherwise she’s safe.

He said he was relieved that she had returned home safely and confirmed that police were still dusting the vehicle for fingerprints as part of their ongoing investigation.

Earlier, Nkomo had said that police informed him the car was picked up by highway surveillance cameras on the N3 near Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, on Saturday morning.

The church service she was heading to typically draws a crowd of over 2,000 worshippers.

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