Hijacking of safari vehicle in front of ‘coolerbox rhino horns’ house
A safari vehicle was hijacked in a suburb in Hazyview which is a few blocks away from the R536, the road from Hazyview to Kruger Gate.
HAZYVIEW – Three men were arrested at Elukwatini Crossing on Sunday afternoon when they tried to sell an open-safari vehicle that had been hijacked on Saturday evening.
The hijacking took place at 22:00, a few blocks from the R536, the road from Hazyview to Kruger Gate. The vehicle, a green Toyota Hilux with registration number HFP 363 MP, belongs to Vula Tours. There was no tracking device installed.
At the time rangers, gate officials at the Kruger National Park and SAPS were put on high alert as such a vehicle can be used to gain access into the park for illegal activity.
READ how the R536 is turning into a dangerous road to travel to the Kruger Gate
The driver, Mr Gerald Harris (59), is a well-known guide.
He is recovering at home. Harris has only been back in Hazyview for a week when this happened. He used to do guiding for years in Hazyview but recently relocated to the Eastern Cape.
A friend recounted that Harris had been driving home from G’s Bistro when he came across a street party in front of 49 Albatros Road. This house was recently in the news when a cooler box full of rhino horns was found in a house under construction next door to it.
READ about the day SAPS Hazyview found horns in a coolerbox
The partying crowd stopped Harris’ vehicle at about 21:30. He asked them three times to “please” let him pass, but they refused.
He attemped draw his gun but they hit him over the head, dragged him from the car and took his gun, his friend said.
Harris was beaten up in the street outside the vehicle and blacked out. When he came to, the people and vehicles were gone. His cellphone and wallet had been stolen.
He knocked on the door of house 49 for help. He and the person who answered the door then drove around Hazyview’s “areas known for criminal activities,” trying to find the vehicle, but were unsuccessful.
After midnight Harris was dropped at SAPS Hazyview where he made a statement. His colleague, Ms Melissa Brockmann, fetched him afterwards.
Sgt Peace Mbokane, communications officer of SAPS Elakwatini, said the arrest came after receiving a tip-off from a concerned citizen that three men at Elakwatini Crossing were trying to sell a safari vehicle. At that stage the canvas canopy and seats of the vehicle had already been removed.
“Members arrested them, recovered the vehicle and went to recover the goods as well,” said Mbokane.
Messrs Matimba Nukoena (20), Cleo Nelmbini (24) and Tshepo Phiri (31) appeared in court in Eerstehoek yesterday. At the time of going to press, the outcome was not yet known.
