The Gqeberha businessman who was kidnapped in front of his hardware store in Motherwell is back home after his family paid a R1m ransom for his release.
Fifty-four-year-old Zahir Bayit was taken by a group of men at around 5 pm on 23 January.
Hawks spokesperson, Captain Yolisa Mgolodela confirmed that he was found unharmed on Saturday while going about his business at the store.
According to Mgolodela, Hawks hostage negotiators worked around the clock to secure his safe return.
She said during the negotiations, police had managed to bring the ransom demand down to R300 000.
They intended to exert pressure on the abductors to release him without payment.
"Investigators became suspicious when all communication with the abductors suddenly seized.
"That is when they learned that his family became nervous and bypassed police by paying the ransom," Mgolodela said.
She added that Bayit had told the police to back off and that they required no further assistance from the cops.
Bayit's safe return comes amid another businessman being returned after he was abducted.
Godknows Chavvazhinji, 34, who works as a subcontractor, was abducted in Wells Estate on the same day as Bayit.
He was dropped off in Durban Road in Korsten the next day, severely battered and bruised.
Mgolodela told the media that due to pressure from a Hawks investigation team, he was released without a ransom being paid.
A ransom of R100,000 was demanded for Chavazhinji's safe return.
