Hawks step in after kidnappers of American missionary in Gqeberha demand ransom

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) have taken over the investigation into the kidnapping of an American missionary Josh Sullivan after his alleged kidnappers demanded a ransom. 

Eastern Cape Hawks spokesperson, Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana, confirmed to Daily Maverick on Sunday morning that “a ransom was demanded by the suspects.”

A multidisciplinary task team consisting of various specialised police units had been “activated” and the joint team was “currently following all possible leads to locate the victim and apprehend the perpetrators”.

Daily Maverick previously reported that Sullivan was kidnapped at gunpoint by four armed men during his sermon at a church in Motherwell, Gqeberha, on Thursday night, 10 April 2025.

Captain Andre Beetge of the South African Police Service (SAPS) previously said that at about 7pm on Thursday, SAPS Motherwell was alerted to an incident at a church on Mambalaza Street, NU10, Motherwell.

“It is alleged that while a sermon was being conducted at the church, four armed and masked male suspects entered the church. They robbed people of two cellphones and then took the 45-year-old male pastor with them and fled the scene in the vehicle of the pastor. The silver Toyota Fortuner was recovered a short while later in Motherwell.”

Read more: American missionary kidnapped at gunpoint during church sermon amid rising crime in Gqeberha

The kidnapping and robbery is the latest incident involving US missionaries in Gqeberha. On 23 March, Eastern Cape transport and community safety MEC Xolile Nqatha sought to reassure residents in a statement on Nelson Mandela Bay crime, which noted previous “robberies of church members in New Brighton, and the US missionaries in NU12, Motherwell”.

Nqatha said at the time that an additional 150 Public Order Police members, 15 detectives and crime intelligence officers had also arrived in the metro to augment their crime-fighting efforts. 

Spokespersons for the MEC were unable to provide any information about the outcome of these efforts.

Josh Sullivan, a missionary from Maryville, Tennessee, was kidnapped at gunpoint during a church service in Gqeberha. He is pictured with his wife, Meagan. (Photo: Facebook)