Kutlwano Ditsele Survives 15-Hour Hijacking and Kidnapping Ordeal, Declares “I am Alive”

Kutlwano Ditsele Survives 15-Hour Hijacking and Kidnapping Ordeal, Declares “I am Alive”

Kutlwano Ditsele, a director, producer, and founding partner of Seriti Films (known for its Gomora telenovela) shared details of his harrowing 15–hour ordeal of hijacking and kidnapping earlier this month. Posting a photo of himself on social media, he revealed that it was exactly seven days since he was taken outside his home and taken to an unknown destination without any explanation.

The kidnapping and hijacking occurred late at night when two men drove up to his home in the south of Johannesburg and forcefully pushed him into their vehicle. They drove around for hours, taking him to unfamiliar spots, before eventually taking him to a house in the same area, where he was held captive for the rest of the night.

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“[This picture was] taken exactly seven days to the hour after I was released from a harrowing 15-hour hijacking and kidnapping outside my house and taken to an unknown location. I was unharmed and had my gadgets and money from my bank account emptied. The only irreplaceable thing they took from me is my sense of safety.”

Kutlwano Ditsele Survives 15-Hour Hijacking and Kidnapping

Kutlwano explained his internal conflict as a person who loves his country.

“South Africa is the most beautiful country, but sometimes it can bite you as it did me for the first time in 37 years.”

He said cooperating with the criminals is the reason he is alive.

“The advice I have to anyone who this might happen too is to cooperate; I know it sounds crazy, but your life is more important than what they steal. I closed my eyes to not see their faces. I gave them everything they wanted, and they let me go 15 hours later.

“One of the guys said to me: ‘I don’t want to do this, but there is no work out there for us.’”

The Gomora creator said he was grateful he lived to tell the story.