SAPS Rescues Kidnapped American Pastor in Dramatic Shootout, SA Relieved

• The South African Police Service came to the kidnapped American pastor's rescue on 15 April 2025
• The 45-year-old pastor was held at a safe house in Gqeberha after he was kidnapped on 10 April in Motherwell
• A shootout happened between the suspects and the police, and three suspects wee fatally wounded

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered criminal activities, cash-in-transit heists, taxi violence, police investigations, police shootouts and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

GQEBERHA, EASTERN CAPE — The South African Police Service rescued kidnapped American pastor Josh Sullivan on 15 April 2025, five days after he was snatched from his church in Motherwell on Gqeberha, Eastern Cape on 10 April.

What happened during the rescue?

According to the South African Police Service, the Hawks led a multi-disciplinary law enforcement operation and tracked Sullivan down to a safe house in KwaMagxaki. The team included the Serious Organised Crime Unit, the Anti-Gang Unit, Crime Intelligence, Tactical Response Team and other law enforcement stakeholders.

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The team arrived on the premises and saw a car. The suspects were inside the vehicle, and when they saw the police they tried to flee and opened fire. The officers returned fire, and this resulted in an intense shootout in which three suspects were shot and killed. Pastor Sullivan was miraculously unharmed during the shootout. He was assessed medically, and was found to be in excellent condition.

The province's Head of Hawks, Major General Obed Ngwenya, commented the team for their courage and said the united effort sent a strong message to criminals who want to threatened the safety of the country.

Similar instances of kidnapped victims rescued

• The police in Ekurhuleni rescued two men on 9 July 2024 after they were kidnapped on 7 July in Putfontein while travelling in as car
• A Limpopo businessman who was kidnapped in October 2024 from Louis Trichardt was rescued three months later, on 24 January 2025 in Vuwani
• The police rescued an Afghan boy on 24 January and arrested five foreign nationals for kidnapping him from the home of his father's friend on 21 January
• A Free State man was arrested on 19 February after he kidnapped a toddler and held him hostage, stabbing him multiple times
• One suspect was gunned down when the police rescued an Ethiopian businessman on 10 March

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South Africans salute the police

Netizens commenting on the South African Police Service's Facebook post were relieved.

Terence Phillips said:

"Well done, SAPS. The prayers of the saints were answered."

Vanessa Matthews said:

"Thank you Hawks for your hard work and returning him safely."

Lynda Huxham Steyn said:

"Well done, SAPS. You are all true assets to our country."

Zee Obotseng said:

"It can only be God who saved him from such shootouts. Thank you, officers, for the job well done. You saved the reputation of our country."

Colleen Ekron Smit said:

"God is awesome! News says that miraculously the pastor was not injured during the shootout!"

SAPS arrests Free State pastor and his wife

In another article, Briefly News reported that the police rescued a Free State pastor and his wife, who were kidnapped on their way to a conference on 23 August 2024. They were kidnapped by fake police officers.

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The fake officers stopped them on their way to Parys from Bethlehem and took them to a safe house in Evaton, Gauteng. The police hunted the suspects down and fond them on 26 August unharmed. Four suspects were arrested.

Source: Briefly News