A Phoenix, KZN man was found in a bush six days after being kidnapped and severely beaten by several men. The discovery was made at approximately 2:20 PM on Wednesday, when a female caller reported that a man was lying badly injured in a bush in Royal Manor, Palmview. Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) responded to the scene and interviewed the man, who explained the ordeal while awaiting paramedics.
According to the victim, he was offered a job to repair a gate in Woodview, KZN. On March 20, 2025, he arrived at the client's home and was carrying the metal gate to another location for repairs when a vehicle driven by a man approached. The driver accused him of stealing the gate, and with the help of several men, the victim was forcibly loaded into the vehicle, blindfolded, and taken to a farm in Verulam, KZN. There, he was tied to a tree and beaten for hours with pick handles and sticks. After the assault, the men returned him to Phoenix and dumped him in tall grass, where he lay weak from hunger and injuries, unable to seek help.
RUSA officers' body cam footage is being withheld due to the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation. The incident gained further attention after the Community Policing Forum (CPF) in Phoenix reported that the man, along with accomplices, had stolen the gate from a policeman's residence, and was arrested with the stolen property in his possession.