A 45-year-old American missionary, Pastor Josh Sullivan, was abducted at gunpoint while delivering a sermon at Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell, a suburb of Gqeberha, South Africa.
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The kidnapping took place late Thursday during a prayer meeting attended by about 30 congregants, including Sullivan’s wife and six children. According to police, four masked men stormed the church, stole two mobile phones, and seized the pastor before fleeing in his car. The vehicle was later found abandoned approximately 1.5 kilometers away from the scene.
Reverend Jeremy Hall, a colleague of Sullivan’s, believes the abduction was financially motivated. He noted that the kidnappers referred to the pastor by name, indicating a possible targeted attack. Sullivan and his family had relocated from Tennessee to South Africa in November and were known for their active involvement in the local community.
The case adds to growing concerns over the rising wave of abductions in South Africa. Police data shows more than 17,000 kidnappings were reported during the 2023/2024 financial year—an 11% increase from the previous year. Just days before Sullivan’s abduction, a Chinese national was also reported kidnapped in Gqeberha.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing as they work to locate Sullivan and bring the perpetrators to justice.
