UPDATE: ActionSA confirms recovery of members after 'harrowing' kidnapping

JOHANNESBURG - ActionSA Gauteng premier candidate Funzi Ngobeni and the party’s youth forum chairperson Hluphi Gafane have been found safe following a kidnapping incident.

So confirmed ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba after resharing the party's X post.

"Funzi and Hluphi have been recovered. We can confirm they are in good health despite what must have been a harrowing experience. They, along with their families, are deeply moved by the love and prayers of the ActionSA family as well as the overwhelming outpouring of support from South Africans," it reads.

The pair were taken in a suspected hijacking, outside Gafane’s home in Centurion by armed men on Tuesday night. 

Mashaba told Eyewitness News that Ngobeni was visiting Gafane when the gunmen approached.

Ngobeni and Gafane were ordered by gunmen to get into the back of Ngobeni’s vehicle. 

Mashaba spoke to Eyewitness News shortly after the news broke last night. 

“Funzi had gone to fetch something from Hluphi’s house. As they were getting out, I don’t know how many people came but these guys came with guns, put them at the back of Funzi’s car and drove away with them.” 

Mashaba refused to speculate whether the incident was politically motivated or merely criminality. 

“You know in this country, because of the high levels of crime, I wouldn’t want to speculate - I don’t think it will be fair for me to speculate. But one thing for sure is that they’ve been hijacked or kidnapped with guns.” 

A case of kidnapping was opened by Ngobeni’s wife at Olievenhoutbosch Police Station in Centurion.