South Africa arrests 56 for taking Cabinet ministers hostage

Published October 15, 2021 7:48 AM

By GERALD IMRAY
Associated Press

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South African police say they have arrested 56 people who will likely face charges of kidnapping after two government Cabinet ministers and a deputy minister were taken hostage for about three hours on Thursday night. It happened when the ministers’ meeting with military veterans of the fight against apartheid ended in disagreement. Police were called to a hotel near the capital Pretoria to rescue Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise, her deputy minister Thabang Makwetla, and Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele. Police say they tried to negotiate with the hostage-takers and when that failed they carried out an operation to rescue the captives.

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