SA HIJACKING POSES DANGER TO NAMIBIAN TRUCKS
Namibian truck drivers driving through South Africa have been warned to be particularly careful of hijacking.
Walvis Bay Corridor Group CEO Mbahupu Tjivikua issued this warning to the transport and logistics industry on Tuesday morning. He said hijackings are a common phenomenon in South Africa, with the most recent incident taking place on the N4 route in the vicinity of Rustenburg and Mafikeng on the Trans Kalahari corridor.
"Truck drivers are at high risk of being assaulted or even killed, and are therefore encouraged to be more vigilant and cautious," he said.
Drivers are further advised to drive in convoys and, when they suspect anything unusual, to report it to law enforcement officers.
Contact the embassy
"In the unfortunate event of truck drivers who fall victim to hijacking and lose their identity documents, they are encouraged to contact the Namibian embassy in Pretoria for assistance," Tjivikua added.
Aino Humphrey of the Namibian High Commission in Pretoria encouraged truck drivers to report their planned routes in advance when they enter South Africa. According to her, there are Namibian officers who - in emergencies - can go to the crime scene and offer help in relation to the issuing of emergency travel documents, among other things.
Spike strips
Last week, a South African news company broadcast an interview with Richard Brussow of the National Hijack Prevention Academy in which he spoke about a trend where criminals deploy spike strips on main roads to stop vehicles.
He said the phenomena started two years ago on the N4 and the N14 roads from Johannesburg, but is now common on all highways in and out of the Gauteng area. The criminals wait a few hundred metres from the spikes to attack drivers and motorists when the vehicles come to a stop, he warned.
Snyman Transport managing director Sakkie Snyman confirmed that hijacking is a major concern for truck drivers.
"All our loads from South Africa which are high risk, we only run during the day. And for loads of high value or liquor, we have security officers accompany us," he said. Snyman added that his company has not encountered such an incident for a long time, but he encouraged companies and truck drivers to be responsible and careful. "Everyone has to work together," he said.