According to a police statement, the 28-year-old victim and fellow hikers flagged down a silver Datsun with two occupants to ask for a lift to Malamulele at around 10:00. The victim and another hitchhiker got in and the driver of the car drove off. Near Xikukwani village the driver drove to an area in the bushes along the R81 road. The driver allegedly said that he needed to buy firewood from a seller who has prepared it for him.

In the bush, the driver allegedly stopped and suddenly everyone in the car, including the person he thought was a fellow hitchhiker, produced knives and firearms threatening to kill him. The victim gave them his cellphone and an undisclosed amount of cash. They also tried to access funds from his bank account through an app on his cellphone but found the account was empty.

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They then pushed the victim out of the vehicle and drove off at high speed toward Malamulele. The victim immediately notified the police, and a search was launched for the suspects. The hiking spot is a known dangerous area, and police have warned people to be careful when hitchhiking at the spot on several occasions.

After the incident, the provincial commissioner, Lt Gen Thembi Hadebe, warned community members to avoid getting into unknown vehicles. “It is safer and more reliable to use public transport because hitchhiking is dangerous,” she said. Anyone with information that can help the police arrest these criminals, should contact WO Hobyani at 071 1637 272 or the crime stop number on 08600 10111. One can also report the matter to the nearest police station.