Police in the Uthukela Cluster are appealing to the public to be aware of the risks that may come with hitch-hiking.

An 18-year-old girl that was hitch-hiking along Green Point Road in Bergville was raped recently after she accepted a lift. She was walking toward the bus stop when the driver of a light blue Toyota Corolla stopped to offer her a lift, which she accepted.

The driver was alone in the vehicle and after driving off he asked the lady how much money she was going to pay him for the transport.
When she answered that she had no money, the man stopped his vehicle and asked her to alight from the vehicle, which she did.

He drove off, leaving her to walk along the road. The same vehicle and driver returned a short while later, stopped and dragged the woman into nearby bushes, where she was raped.

Her assailant then carried her back to his vehicle where locked her in the boot. He later dropped her off at the Roosboom Taxi Rank, outside Ladysmith.

In the interest of your safety police appeal to the community to be very alert and careful when hitch-hiking, especially at night.

There are serious risks attached to hitch-hiking since you do not know anything about the person you are accepting a lift from. It is advisable to rather call on friends and family for a lift or make use of public transport, if possible.