Road-spike incidents on the rise in Nkomazi

The Komatipoort police confirmed an incident that had occurred between Hectorspruit and the Coopersdal Junction on Monday April 11 at 23:00, where a taxi from North West bound for Mozambique was spiked, which led to its passengers being robbed and the driver, Sithole Edson William, being hacked to death.

According to the Komatipoort police’s spokesperson, Natacia Mbuyane, they had received a call about robbery that had taken place on the N4 after the taxi’s tyres had burst from spikes placed on the road.

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On arrival to the scene, one of the passengers informed the police that William hda been changing the punctured front tyre when a group of men approached him. He tried to run, but the men, one carrying a firearm and another a knife, caught him. William was stabbed and left for dead on the side of the road. “He was found lying on the ground next to the fence.

He had left a trail of bloody footsteps on the road,” said Mbuyane.

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The police confirmed that William had R35 000 on him that had been stolen along with some cellphones and items from the passengers. Two passengers were reported missing by the police and are still being searched for in the area where the taxi was stopped, and on farms next to the N4.

“The stretch of road affected by road spikes and car-blocking objects is almost 50 kilometres in length, which makes patrolling a challenge. We encourage drivers not to travel the N4 between Malalane and Komatipoort after dark,” said Mbuyane.

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