Hitchhikers, especially females, in and around Mthatha, have been warned to be vigilant after two women and a 15-year-old girl were attacked and robbed in separate incidents.
The teenager was allegedly raped, while one of the other women was stabbed and beaten with sticks until she was unconscious.
The incidents occurred after the three accepted lifts while hitchhiking in Mthatha and Tsolo.
Police spokesperson Captain Welile Matyolo confirmed that three cases had been opened with the police after the incidents.
“We are warning hitchhikers to be vigilant at all times.
“People should take down cars’ registration numbers and send them to someone close to them.
“Or they should just refrain from hitchhiking.”
Matyolo said the first incident was reported in the first week of October in Mthatha after a woman accepted a lift from a driver of a Toyota Avanza with four male and one female passenger inside.
The incident happened at about 8pm.
“Instead of dropping her off at her destination, they drove past and robbed her of her cellphone and money amounting to R150, as well as clothing.
“They stabbed her and beat her with sticks until she was unconscious,” Matyolo said.
The 15-year-old schoolgirl was attacked in Tsolo two weeks ago after hitching a ride.
Matyolo said the girl had hitchhiked from school but was the last passenger left in the vehicle.
The driver of the car then allegedly stopped on an open field and raped her.
More recently, a 41-year-old women hitchhiking from Mthatha to Mqanduli shortly after 10am was robbed of her personal belongings by three men armed with guns, who later dumped her in Payne village.
Matyolo said the woman was robbed of two cellphones, two bank cards and R9,800.
She reported the incident to the police in Mthatha.
“We would like to urge law enforcement agencies to do everything in their power to ensure that those criminals are found and brought to justice.”
— Welile Matyolo, SAPS
King Sabata Dalindyebo municipal spokesperson Sonwabo Mampoza said the council condemned the attacks “in the strongest possible terms”.
“This is very bad for our municipality and our town,” he said, saying the incidents negatively affected the area’s image.
“We would like to urge law enforcement agencies to do everything in their power to ensure that those criminals are found and brought to justice,” he said.
Earlier in 2023, Mthatha residents dared police minister Bheki Cele to leave his VIP security personnel and blue lights and walk the streets of Mthatha, saying organised syndicates were terrorising residents.
Business has repeatedly called on the KSD municipality to install CCTV cameras in and around Mthatha to curb crime.
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