- A Johannesburg businessman is still missing after allegedly being kidnapped.
- Ranga Gova was abducted more than one week ago on his way home from playing golf.
- He owns a fuel company.
It’s been more than a week since well-known Johannesburg businessman Ranga Gova was abducted while driving his wife’s silver Mercedes-Benz in Midstream Estate, Gauteng.
Gova is an avid golf fanatic and was out playing at the local golf course on the night of his disappearance.
Speaking to News24, his wife Mamello Mareko said she clearly remembered speaking to him on the phone minutes before the security guards at the estate where they stayed came knocking on her door.
“He told me that he was still at the golf course at the time and that he was leaving soon, as he was just having some coffee before driving back home. It wasn’t a long conversation as I told him we can talk when he gets home, as I needed to see to our baby girl. I had absolutely no idea that would be our last conversation,” she recalled.
A tearful Mareko said Ranga had taken her car that evening as he wanted to save on petrol, because his car “eats fuel.”
She added that once she had put the baby to sleep, and was about to get ready for bed, she heard security knocking at her door.
“I usually don’t open the door if it’s just me and my child in the house, but when security said there is footage that they have seen that shows a hijacking involving my car, I immediately opened the door.
“They told me my car was taken at the robots in Midstream and that they thought it was me. I then told them that Ranga is driving my car, and they insisted I go to the police station immediately,” said Mareko.
She added that she was so upset when she received the news that security staff had to accompany her to the police station, because she was in no state to drive.
“It’s all just so confusing for me. He never said anyone was threatening him or that he was having problems at work, so I really don’t know why they would kidnap him.”
According to Mareko, Ranga has a fuel company and was well known in the area.
She said that, two days after the kidnapping, the car was found abandoned in Gauteng, but nobody was inside.
“When police told me they found the car and that my husband was not inside, it broke me. I kept asking where is he then?
“This is honestly the worst experience anyone could go through, and I am just hoping for the best. as I desperately want my husband back safe and sound.”
Johannesburg businessman Ranga Gova was kidnapped more than a week ago.
Photo Supplied
The couple have a two-year-old girl who, Mareko said, sometimes blurts out random lyrics to the song her dad would sing for her every night.
“I know she can sense there is something wrong. He would sing for her every night before bedtime, and now that her routine has changed, it has become even more difficult to try and fill the gap that Ranga would fill.”
Police have been approached for comment, but have yet to respond.
