Mpumalanga police have cautioned hitchhikers, as well as motorists, to be extra cautious following several incidents in which both hitchhikers and those offering lifts were robbed, raped and even hijacked.
SAPS have recorded many cases since February and there seem to be an increase in these crimes in recent weeks.
In a statement, police said: “The warning comes after several incidents occurred in some parts of the province, where victims were robbed as they either gave lifts to strangers or were offered a lift by unknown motorists.”
They detailed the following incidents:
- On 10 March 2021, a man driving a silver grey Toyota Etios on the N12 near Delmas saw three men hitchhiking. They were wearing work clothes with reflector jackets and the motorist stopped to offer them a lift because he felt sorry for them. Shortly after they entered the vehicle, one took out a rope and strangled the driver, forcing him into the back seat. They drove off and later threw him out in a secluded area and drove away in his vehicle.
- In February, a hitchhiker was robbed after he was offered a lift by three suspects in a black BMW. One of the men in the vehicle pulled out a gun and robbed the hitchhiker of his laptop, cellphone and an undisclosed amount of money. They then threw him out of the car and left.
- In a more recent incident on 19 June 2021, a 45-year-old man hitchhiking between Sabie and White River was offered a lift by three suspects in a blue Suzuki. They stopped the vehicle a short while after he had accepted the lift and held the hitchhiker at gunpoint demanding his cellphone. The men also robbed him of cash, bank cards and ordered him to electronically transfer cash to them. When they dropped the victim off they fired shots at him to scare him.
Several similar incidents were reported in March at Mavakamela on the Sabie/White River road and again at Bronkhorstspruit.
Because of the increase in similar attacks and hijackings police cautioned communities and visitors to the area to use public transport or formal transport to get around.
Reports also suggest that there are cases of rape that were reported at other police stations hence the plight by police to caution the community.
Major General Thulani Phahla, the Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, warned people to avoid hitch-hiking and motorists are urged to avoid offering lifts to strangers.
“We are aware of the economic challenges that our people are faced with, however; lives of citizens are more precious than anything else,” concluded Phahla.
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