HAZYVIEW – Tourism in the area was dealt another big blow when about 100 pupils of a Pretoria primary school and three of their teachers were held at gunpoint at Aan de Vliet Resort and Guest House early yesterday (Thursday morning) while thugs wearing balaclavas robbed them of their possessions.
The pupils from Laerskool Hennopspark were on a Christian outreach and had booked the entire lodge for a few days. They were going, among others, to sing at old-age homes in the Lowveld area when the incident occurred.
According to provincial police spokesman Col Leonard Hlathi, one of the teachers heard a knock on the door of his room just after midnight. He got up and opened it upon which three armed men entered. “They were armed with a shotgun and two pistols,” Hlathi said.
The teacher had been sharing the room with some of the pupils and they were robbed of their belongings. The suspects then went to other bungalows where the rest of the pupils and teachers were staying and robbed them too. The stolen items included cash, cellphones, laptops and iPads.
“Luckily no one was injured,” said Mr Christo du Plessis, manager of Aan de Vliet. “However, the children were all traumatised by the event. The whole incident happened so fast!” Du Plessis managed to activate his panic button during the attack and within minutes 20 to 30 farmers arrived at the scene. The criminals fled on foot. The police and officials of White River’s dog unit were also called out.
News of what had happened spread fast. Jacaranda FM’s news editor, Ms Dianne Broodryk’s daughter was among the victims. Yesterday morning she said it was horrifying to get a phone call from her young daughter in the early hours to tell her what had happened.
When police searched the area they found footprints and other evidence such as clothing and shoes worn by the attackers. The dog unit were given the evidence but for some reason the unit left the crime scene without following the tracks.
According to Const Thabo Lebello, who is stationed at the dog unit, they should not have left. “The dog unit is usually the last to leave a crime scene,” he said. When Lowvelder arrived at Aan de Vliet yesterday morning, officials of Hi-Tech Security White River had also arrived. “We heard about it on the radio and decided to find out if we could be of any assistance, said operational manager Mr Rudi van Niekerk.
They searched the surrounding bush and at about 08:15 saw the three suspects hiding just across the river from Aan de Vliet. The Hi-Tech team gave chase and shots were fired. Unfortunately, due to the dense bush, the men managed to escape.
Immediately additional police backup was called in with the dog unit to track the suspects. It was later established that they were heading to Marite via Graskop.
Police were asked to monitor the Graskop Road and Hazyview police monitored the situation from a position below Hippo Hollow and also on the Sabie Road.
The police’s air wing was also called in for surveillance. At the time of going to print, the suspects were still at large. “I have on numerous occasions put out media releases, questioning the police’s ability to protect the residents of Hazyview,” said Mr Ken Robertson, DA councillor in Hazyview.
“To date I have never received a response to suggestions I have made which would most definitely have improved circumstances. Now I ask, when will the SAPS on local, provincial and national levels make a conscientious decision to start addressing issues of rural safety?”
Lt Col PM Makamu, station commander of Hazyview, cancelled his meetings for the day to attend to the matter personally and was managing the operation on site from Aan de Vliet. “We request the public to keep an eye out for these suspects who are wearing blue overalls. Should they have any information, they must contact Capt Albert Manzini on 082-449-0231.”
Meanwhile, the pupils and teachers have returned to Gauteng. “It could have happened at any place. We are realistic and calm. Fortunately, none of the children were hurt,” said Ms Retha Alkema, spokesman for the school.
• In March 2011, pupils of Midstream College in Gauteng were also robbed at Aan de Vliet. Teachers were held at gunpoint and their cellphones taken before grade 11 pupils were also robbed.
