KEY POINTS
- American missionary Josh Sullivan rescued in Eastern Cape police operation that left three kidnappers dead after a firefight
- Hawks credit inter-agency cooperation for successful mission following six-day captivity that began with church service abduction
- Incident highlights growing kidnapping crisis in province, with religious figures increasingly targeted by criminal networks
In a dramatic predawn operation on Tuesday, South African police rescued American pastor Josh Sullivan from kidnappers in KwaMagxaki, ending a terrifying six-day captivity that began when armed men stormed his church service in Motherwell last week.
Three suspects were killed in the intense firefight that secured Sullivan’s freedom.
The elite Hawks police unit located the 34-year-old missionary at a safe house following what Lieutenant Colonel Avele Fumba described as “an intelligence-driven operation involving multiple agencies.” According to Fumba, “As officers approached the house, they observed a vehicle on the premises. The suspects inside allegedly attempted to flee and opened fire on the team.” Police returned fire, killing three kidnappers.
International incident draws high-level response
The kidnapping of the Florida-based pastor had drawn attention from both South African and U.S. authorities, with sources indicating the FBI provided technical support to local investigators. Sullivan, who runs a nonprofit aiding orphanages across Southern Africa, was conducting a prayer service when masked gunmen abducted him on April 10.
“This operation demonstrates the critical importance of inter-agency collaboration,” Fumba stated, praising the “bravery and professionalism” of the multi-unit team that included tactical response units and crime intelligence personnel. Miraculously unharmed, Sullivan received immediate medical attention before being reunited with his wife, who had flown in from the U.S. during the crisis.
IOL reports that the rescue comes amid growing concern over kidnappings targeting religious leaders in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province.
Just last month, a local bishop paid R500,000 ransom for his release, while in February, gunmen held a visiting Kenyan preacher for 72 hours before police intervention.
Major General Mboiki Obed Ngwenya, Eastern Cape Hawks head, warned that “these criminal networks are testing our resolve,” vowing continued operations against syndicates that have made the province South Africa’s kidnapping hotspot, with 47 abductions recorded this year alone.
Investigators are now working to determine if the same group was behind Sullivan’s abduction and at least four other recent kidnappings in Nelson Mandela Bay. Forensic teams are examining the suspects’ vehicle, which contained ammunition and false license plates.
