Wentworth Hostage Standoff Ends Peacefully As Police Arrest Suspect In Durban

A tense hostage situation at a block of flats in Wentworth, south of Durban, was brought to a calm conclusion on Sunday morning after police arrested a man believed to be in his 40s. His five-year-old daughter and her mother were rescued without injury following an hours-long standoff.

KwaZulu-Natal police said the incident unfolded shortly after 6am when the man allegedly took the child from a family member’s home where a party was underway. He reportedly left with her and went to another relative’s residence in the area.

At that location, the situation escalated when the man is accused of holding both the child and her mother against their will, prompting an urgent police response and the deployment of specialised units.

Police Negotiators Deployed to Defuse Wentworth Hostage Crisis

KZN police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said trained hostage negotiators worked alongside other specialised police teams to stabilise the situation.

“Police hostage negotiators, working with other specialised police units, managed to calm the suspect down, and both the child and the mother were rescued safely,” Netshiunda said.

Advanced Life Support paramedics were placed on standby as negotiations continued for several hours. ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said the suspect later attempted to leave the block of flats with the hostages, which triggered immediate police action.

Child and Mother Released Safely After Hours of Negotiation

According to Jamieson, SAPS negotiators had been engaging with the man since early morning.

“A short while ago, we saw him release a small child into the care of the negotiators, followed then by his partner,” Jamieson said.

No injuries were reported and neither the child nor the mother required medical treatment. Jamieson confirmed that the road near the flats, which had been closed during the operation, reopened shortly before 11am once the situation was resolved.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Justice Community Mourns Death Of Former Gauteng Deputy DPP Riegal du Toit

Police have not yet revealed what sparked the incident. The suspect has been taken into custody and investigations are continuing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged hostage-taking.

He is expected to face charges related to kidnapping and holding hostages.

---

For More, Follow SurgeZirc SA On  Facebook, X,  Instagram and Bluesky