Chinese nationals in Africa ‘vulnerable to kidnappings' as cases rise

The Star

12-07-2025

Chinese nationals are being targeted by kidnappers in African countries as more investors are drawn to the continent in areas ranging from infrastructure development to minerals extraction.
Cases of kidnapping for ransom are being seen across Africa. China's embassy in South Africa issued a warning on Sunday about a rise in kidnappings of Chinese women. In Somalia and Ghana, piracy cases targeting Chinese fishing vessels have involved ransom demands. And the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria have also seen armed robbery and abduction cases involving Chinese in recent months.
Analysts say Chinese traders are being targeted because of a perception that they operate their businesses outside the formal banking system and that they might be carrying around large sums of cash.
In its warning, the Chinese embassy in South Africa said there had been multiple incidents involving Chinese women reported across the country recently, particularly in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape provinces.
'These cases seriously threaten the personal and property safety of Chinese nationals,' the embassy said, urging women to avoid going out alone. 'If you are unable to travel with others, please inform your relatives and friends of your whereabouts.'
It comes amid a rise in kidnappings in South Africa this year, as well as a fatal home invasion and robbery targeting Chinese nationals on May 31.
Earlier this month, the Chinese embassy cautioned tourists heading to South Africa for the summer holiday to prioritise their personal safety due to the recent spate of kidnappings.
According to Emmanuel Matambo, research director at the Centre for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg, 'there is a long-standing perception in South Africa that Chinese nationals, entrepreneurs and businessmen and businesswomen keep large amounts of cash in their homes and are loath to use banks'.
'As such, they render themselves vulnerable not only to kidnappings, but home invasions as well,' Matambo said.
That view was echoed by Michael McLaggan, an analyst at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime in Cape Town.
He said while Mozambican nationals were initially targeted for high-profile kidnappings in South Africa, the increased number of cases now included Pakistanis, Somalis, and in recent years Chinese.
According to McLaggan, the crime was being fuelled by 'copycat gangs' who saw kidnapping as a 'low-risk, high-reward endeavour' compared to more dangerous activities like cash-in-transit robberies.
He linked this to the growing presence of Chinese nationals in Africa for trade and projects under Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative. He said many of these individuals ran cash-based businesses or had access to liquid assets.
'Many Chinese business owners may be less likely to use the formal banking system in their country of residence, a common practice in places like South Africa,' McLaggan said.
He said this preference for underground banking channels – known as 'feiqian' in China or 'hawala' in Africa and the Middle East – made Chinese nationals more attractive to kidnappers.
It meant kidnappers could receive ransom payments quickly and discreetly, he said, and the victim's family did not have to make large bank withdrawals or send wire transfers that could draw the attention of authorities.
In addition to South Africa, kidnapping cases involving Chinese nationals have been reported in other African nations including the DR Congo, Nigeria, Ghana and Niger, as well as the Central African Republic and Somalia.
In Nigeria, a Chinese expatriate and their Nigerian colleague were abducted from a Kwara State mining site in June, with a demand for 1 billion naira (US$652,400). That followed the kidnapping of a Chinese national in Abuja in April with a 300 million naira ransom demand.
In Ghana, three Chinese crew members were rescued in late April after being abducted from a vessel off Tema in March. In Somalia, a Chinese-owned fishing vessel and its 18 crew were hijacked in late 2024, leading to a reported US$2 million ransom payment in January for their release.
McLaggan noted it was important to view the kidnappings 'within the broader context of proliferating organised crime and the security environments in these affected countries'.