Rock lure robberies occurring on the N4 freeway east of Pretoria have threatened the lives of one more group of unsuspecting folks.
“I feared for my life,” victims of the newest theft mentioned as they recounted their ordeal to Pretoria Rekord.
The assault
Pretoria resident Koketso Ramalebana mentioned she, her husband Mosa and two household associates had been driving on the N4 on the night time of 9 October once they drove over a rock-like object that severely broken a tyre.
“The tyre burst and we thought the rim cracked as a result of there was an enormous sound.
“Initially, we thought it was not protected to cease, however there was one other automobile that had stopped with folks outdoors not too removed from us and so we stopped,” she mentioned.
“My husband went out to verify the tyre harm and a person in VW Polo got here to help us. As they have been speaking, two males got here out of the darkish bushes.”
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Ramalebana, a monetary advisor, mentioned the 2 had weapons.
“One cocked the gun, pointing it at my husband and mentioned ‘give me your cellphone,’ and my husband did.”
She mentioned the lads additionally robbed their male buddy of his cellphone.
“They then got here to us two girls that have been seated on the again, and requested for our telephones, however there was a little bit of confusion.
Ramalebana mentioned it was darkish and they didn’t know the place that they had positioned their telephones.
She mentioned the lads then turned aggressive, shouting “I need the cellphone” repeatedly.
Not solely have been they robbed, the lads additionally touched her buddy’s breasts whereas looking for her cellphone.
“One robber then got here to me shouting ‘I need cash’, and I requested him if he had the bag. He then mentioned to me ‘I’ll shoot you’.”
She mentioned though the thugs spoke Setswana, their accent had a “overseas aspect” that indicated it was not their house language.
The armed males then went on to raid the pink VW Polo behind them.
“The person who stopped to help us left his automobile keys in his ignition, however the robbers didn’t take the automobile, solely his devices.”
Ramalebana mentioned after their ordeal, they drove on the flat tyre to security.
They ended up outdoors Savannah Nation Property, the place safety guards advised them they have been fortunate they weren’t bodily harmed.
“They advised us {that a} man was shot twice per week earlier than in an analogous theft on the N4.”
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Mosa tried to trace his iPhone, which confirmed it in close by bushes, earlier than sign was misplaced.
The cellphone was switched on once more the subsequent day within the Pretoria CBD.
“Through the eight minutes that the cellphone was switched on, my husband obtained a name from a Nigerian man who mentioned unusual issues.
“My husband requested him in regards to the cellphone and he mentioned he didn’t perceive, so he hung up. My husband’s cellphone was switched off after that.”
Police admit crime spike
When the group went to Silverton police station to report the crime, police advised them of “tragic murders” that happen alongside the identical freeway.
In a single incident, a pregnant lady was shot.
“I requested what was executed to handle this, they advised us they patrolled on Friday and Saturday and there have been no incidents. They thought it was a quiet week, just for criminals to pounce on motorists on Sunday.”
Ramalebana mentioned she didn’t have a lot hope in police recovering their belongings, because the case was closed on October 10.
She mentioned she hoped that the street lure disaster that continues to be a risk to motorists’ lives could possibly be solved.
“Nobody is protected; our lives imply nothing to these robbers.”
After Pretoria Rekord’s inquiry, the police reopened the case.
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Good Samaritan a cop
The person driving the VW Polo that assisted the Ramalebanas was Matome Mashamaite, who works as a forensic investigator at Saps.
“I had stopped to verify if the folks within the automobile have been protected as a result of I heard the sound and noticed smoke after they hit one thing on the street,” Mashamaite mentioned as he recounted the theft.
“I got here out and greeted the motive force. As I used to be about to inform him that we have been in a hazard zone, two guys, one with a shotgun and one other with a pistol, got here out of the bushes and ordered us to lie down.”
He mentioned he pretended to lie down and because the robbers have been speaking to the motive force, he crawled to the opposite facet of the street to attempt to get assist.
“I advised myself they might moderately shoot me whereas I sought help as a result of I’ve witnessed issues executed to the victims.
“What got here to my thoughts have been the killings I’ve seen and I knew I wanted to suppose quick.”
Mashamaite mentioned he tried to cease different automobiles on the street, however nobody stopped.
He mentioned at Solomon Mahlangu Drive circle close to Silver Lakes a taxi stopped and dropped him off in Hatfield, the place he managed to get a diplomatic police automobile that took him again to the crime scene.
“They phoned different police for back-up and we went to the crime scene. We discovered my automobile with the keys, however the different automobile was already gone.”
He mentioned the robbers took his cellphone, laptop computer and garments.
“SAPS managed to carry fingerprints off my automobile after I went to the police station to report it.”
The daddy of 1 mentioned he feared for his life. “That’s the reason I ran to hunt help, as a result of I do know what they’re able to”.
Mashamaite mentioned he believed there have been extra robbers than the 2 that got here out of the bushes.
“As I sought assistance on the street, 4 different automobiles stopped, and occupants of 1 advised me that they have been additionally robbed.”
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Isaac Mculu mentioned police have been investigating the armed theft on the N4 freeway between Simon Vermooten Road and the bridge.
Mculu mentioned the police have been decided to resolve the street lure crimes that continued to place folks’s lives in peril.
He mentioned the police often patrol the hotspots.
“This is likely one of the first incidents now we have had in months, and we’ll conduct extra patrols to make sure the neighborhood’s security.”
Mculu conceded that street lure crime an enormous difficulty in Pretoria.
“We’re working onerous at arresting these folks,” he mentioned.
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Earlier incidents
In Might this 12 months, 30-year-old Wynand Vos was killed throughout a rock lure theft on the N4. Two cellphones have been taken.
In the identical month, 25-year-old Juandre Kidson, who was travelling together with his spouse and their nine-month-old child, was shot within the head after he had pushed over rocks on the N4 freeway, close to the Brits Plaza tollgate.
And in February, three males have been injured after two minibus taxis have been shot at throughout a street lure theft close to Skierlik casual settlement in Boschkop.
Edited by Nica Richards
This text first appeared on Caxton publication Pretoria Rekord’s web site, by Sinesipho Schrieber. Learn the unique article right here.
Originally published at Irvine News HQ
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