Two men hitchhiking on the R71 to Polokwane shot a man and raped his passenger after attempting to take money out of her bank account.

Tzaneen police received a report of an alleged rape on the outskirts of Tzaneen, near the SAPS supply chain management offices, last Friday.

At the scene, they found a 30-year-old woman who reported that she was travelling in a Suzuki Swift with a 44-year-old man. On the road next to the Sasol garage, they offered a lift to two men.

While travelling along Georges Valley road, one of the passengers allegedly asked the driver to stop and demanded that he pull up the handbrake.

“The driver refused to pull up the handbrake and one of the men produced a firearm and shot him point blank from the back. They then instructed the woman to move to the back seat, dumped the deceased on a gravel road, and drove with the woman towards town,” says SAPS spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba.

He adds that they then robbed her of cash, bank cards, and cellphones and made cash transactions with their cards.

“They then drove into the bushes, raped her, and fled the scene in the car, leaving her behind,” says Ledwaba.

“The victim managed to walk until she reached the SAPS supply chain office where she reported the matter to the police. The car was later found burnt in the Letsitele area,” he adds.

The police are investigating a case of murder, rape, malicious damage to property, robbery and hijacking.

Anyone with information that can assist the police in the investigation is urged to contact Warrant Officer Phaladi Makola at 082 749 2233, visit their nearest police station, call the crime stop number 08600 10111, or use the MySAPS App.