Hitching women robbed, dumped

Police warn accepting lifts risky

TWO young East London women have become the latest victims of a hitchhiking robbery.

They were robbed and dumped near Nahoon Dam on Wednesday morning.

The incident happened on the N2 near the Mdantsane offramp before 8am while they were travelling to Bhisho.

The two attackers fled the scene in a small white Toyota Corolla after they dumped the women near the dam.

They made off with six cellphones, cash and bank cards, having forced their victims to give them their bank pin codes.

One woman, who asked not be identified for fear of her life, said she had been hailed by one of the men as she was crossing Oxford Street and asked if she was going to Bhisho.

Another woman passenger was picked up along the street.

“As we approached the Mdantsane off-ramp, the driver pulled over. Shocked, we asked where we were going.

“They started swearing at us – one pulled out a pair of scissors and demanded that we give them cellphones, wrist watches and money,” said the woman.

The quarrel went on for about 15 minutes as the women were negotiating to be spared their lives.

One of the women had four cellphones, the other two cellphones.

“We were scared for our lives and we begged them to take everything they wanted and leave us alone. They were so aggressive and we didn’t even think of giving them wrong pin codes because we didn’t even know where we were,” the woman said.

After they were dumped about R2 000 was withdrawn from her bank account.

Hearing their cries for help, a resident came out from a farmhouse and assisted the pair.

This is not the first violent hitch-hiking incident the Dispatch has reported on.

Last year in May, an East London mother going to work in Amalinda was kidnapped and murdered after she took a small taxi at East London’s Buffalo Street.

The N2 between Mdantsane and King William’s Town was last year dubbed a hotspot for hijacking and robbery, where a syndicate of robbers targeted motorists by blocking the road with rocks.

In November, five adults and a two-year-old girl survived separate robbery and attempted rape incidents on the N2 near the Nahoon Dam off-ramp.

Police are yet to make arrests in the robbery cases.

Police spokesman Lieutenant Nkosikho Mzuku confirmed Wednesday’s incident and said police were investigating a case of robbery. “The investigation into the matter and the other previous cases is under way.

“Police are looking for two male suspects in their 30s.”

He said hitch-hiking has been proven to be risky. “Considering the incidents reported in the past, it is recommended that commuters seek transport at a bus or registered taxi rank, or join lift clubs with people they know in order to minimise contact with total strangers.” —