Kidnapping raises alarms for wild coast tourism

EAST LONDON - The hunt is still on for a woman kidnapped on the way to a resort along the Wild Coast in the Eastern Cape. 

Thirty-nine-year old Cape Town resident Alize van der Merve was taken on her way to the Umngazi Resort in Port ST John’s in the Eastern Cape on Friday afternoon.

The Hawks say the Toyota Fortuner she had rented was found abandoned between Dumasi and the Resort.  

READ: Kidnapping for ransom on the rise in South Africa

It’s been reported her family was phoned with ransom demands.

Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism has expressed its deep concern about escalating incidents of criminality against tourists?

Chairperson of the Wild Coast Development Forum, Div de Villiers spoke to eNCA.