A 45-year-old truck driver was shot dead in a botched hijacking on the R40 Road in Marite, just outside Hazyview.
According to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, the truck driver and his crew were en route to make a delivery in Bushbuckridge when tragedy struck.
As they passed by a filling station in Marite, armed suspects, numbering between four to five, suddenly emerged from the roadside, brandishing firearms in an attempt to halt the truck.
The situation escalated quickly, and amidst the chaos, the truck driver executed a desperate U-turn, inadvertently colliding with another vehicle on the road.
Tragically, the hail of bullets fired by the assailants found their mark, fatally wounding the driver and causing the truck to veer out of control, ultimately crashing into a tree.
Mohlala reported that while the driver succumbed to his injuries, the two other crew members were fortunate to escape with relatively minor injuries.
Rather than rendering aid to the injured victims, some members of the public seized the opportunity to loot dairy products from the truck.
The heartless act of looting took precedence over compassion and humanity.
The deceased truck driver has been identified as Mr. Petros Jay Magagula from Matsulu.
In response to this gruesome incident, a case has been filed, citing charges of murder and robbery.
A dedicated team of investigators, led by Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, the provincial commissioner of the SA Police Service in Mpumalanga, has been assembled to probe the matter.
As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with this brutal crime.
The police are urging anyone with information to come forward and assist in the investigation by contacting the Crime Stop number at 086-001-0111 or providing information via the My SAPS App.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Manamela has vehemently condemned the incident, expressing her dismay at the moral decay displayed by those involved.
She stated, “We are truly appalled by the utter lack of morality exhibited in this incident. In addition to the robbery and the tragic loss of an innocent life, individuals had the audacity to steal from the truck even as its driver lay motionless in a pool of blood. It appears that some have lost their moral compass. Nevertheless, we are unwavering in our commitment to track down and apprehend those responsible for this incident, without any bias or favoritism.”
