Ivory Park stokvel group robbed at gunpoint

The Station Commander of the Ivory Park SAPS, Brig David Mbongeni Ngcobo, is calling on stokvels, or any group whose activities revolve around the collection of money, to be careful on how they collect and where they meet as robbers are never far off.

Ngcobo’s reminder to the community of Ivory Park and surrounding areas comes after a group of ladies and a gentleman belonging to a stokvel was, on September 9, robbed off an undisclosed amount of cash by four armed men at Ivory Park’s Extension Two.

Ivory Park SAPS communication officer, Capt Bernard Matimulane, said it was alleged that the group had locked themselves in a shack belonging to one of the members when the door was suddenly forced open.

“In came four men who demanded money straight away. It seems the robbers already knew that the aim of the meeting of the group was about money. One of the robbers is alleged to have grabbed the male member of the group, threatening to kill him if they did not show him the money. They were shown the money, which they took together with three cellphones belonging to some members. The four suspects left the shack as quickly as they came in,” explains Matimulane.

A case of robbery has been opened at the Ivory Park SAPS and the police are investigating and are calling on any person with information to come forward.

“The possibility of this robbery being an inside job cannot be ruled out and the police are prepared to follow all the leads.”

Ngcobo is appealing to stokvel groups in the area or any grouping involved with bulk cash to be careful.

“As the festive season is approaching, we are likely to see an escalation in these kinds of robberies and we strongly encourage groups to speak to financial institutions on the best and safest ways of moving money and conducting transactions,” said Ngcobo.