Many people have poured out their hearts to a truck driver from Centurion charged with murder for allegedly chasing a man who wanted to steal his load on Beaufort West and then drove him to death.
A video of the incident, captured by CCTV cameras, went viral on social media. It attracted a lot of attention within the trucking fraternity as it highlighted the degree of frustration truck drivers have been pushed to.
In the video, you can see how the white Elite Line Haul truck drives through a field of dust, a person is in front of the truck which apparently drives over him.
The truck then turns turn left and continue.
Lucasta Khadammbi, 30, was arrested shortly after the incident. He told the police that he stopped at a KFC restaurant in town to buy food when thieves broke open the trailer doors.
When he got out, they threatened him with a knife. For fear of his life he ran back into the truck and drove to the police station, Khadammbi says.
“As I drove off, the thieves chased after me while throwing stones. The truck’s window was broken
and one of the stones hit me in the face,” he told SA Trucker.
He says he only later heard that he was believed to have killed someone.
The deceased is 25-year-old Jason Muller, a man who, according to Beaufort West residents was known for his mischief.
Muller was buried in the town on Saturday.
On social media, people from all walks of life expressed their support for Khadammbi who is currently out of custody on a bail of R4 000.
Promises of prayers, support and lobbying for dropping of charges dominate the comments from sympathisers many who say they understand his frustration with crime in South Africa.
The incident was somehow predictable if one considers the onslaught on truckers from hijackers, stone-throwers, looters, tyre thieves, arsonists, robbers and others involved in the devilry on our highways.
Debate about arming oneself as a trucker has become one-sided as drivers believe it could be the only way to fight off the attackers.
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