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R21 HIGHWAY SAFTEY MESSAGE
Posted on: 01 March 2010
This forms part of our Business Safety / Security articles
The most recent attack took place last Tuesday night when a businessman was shot in the legs as he was changing a flat tyre on his car. The robbers, who number between eight and 20, operate between the Tembisa Road Bridge and the
N1/R21 interchange between 9pm and 4am, with most of the attacks occurring near St George's Hotel. The attacks are carried out with the robbers either lining rocks on the highway or throwing debris off bridges into the path of oncoming cars. They target motorists using the north-bound lanes.
While police have known about the attacks since September, they have done little to warn the thousands of motorists who use the highway every day of the dangers. The only warning has come from the Pierre van Ryneveld community policing forum (CPF) which recently cautioned motorists about the attacks. While police claim that they are conducting clandestine operations to catch the robbers, they seem to be operating with impunity as there have been no arrests.
Businessman Jannie Schoeman recently survived an attack when he was held up near St George's Hotel. He was returning home from Midrand along the Olifantsfontein Road when he hit a pothole. "As I stopped and got out to change the tyre, two men armed with knives attacked and forced me into a field. "They stole my watch, wallet and cellphone. When I tried to escape they grabbed me and tied me up with barbed wire," he said, pointing the scars on his wrists. The men eventually let Schoeman go, threatening to kill him if he did not reach the road within two minutes. "I was terrified. I thought they were going to kill me," he said, adding that the Lyttelton police had been useless in trying to solve his attack, which had taken place in broad daylight. He said that when he offered to take the detective investigating his case to where he was attacked the policeman was not interested. "It is just a matter of time before someone is killed
CPF spokeswoman Willa de Ruyter said they were concerned about the attacks, "especially with the sudden increase in the past weeks and the fact that the robbers do not hesitate to shoot". CPF chairman Sampie Niemand said that in one of the attacks robbers shot a city businessman in the leg as he tried to change his car tyre. "Fortunately, he was able to drive off and stop near Irene Village Mall to get help," he said. Niemand said the attackers were stealing laptops, cellphones, money and valuables such as jewellery. He urged motorists who hit rocks or other debris on the road to continue driving to the nearest safe place if possible.
Police Inspector Duane Lightfoot said police were conducting clandestine operations along the highway.
PLEASE BE AWARE!!*
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