Bekkersdal Police and the Gauteng Department of Public Safety declared Panyapanya Road between Bekkersdal and Simunye unsafe during an awareness campaign held on Wednesday, 11 November.

Besides the vicious cash-in-transit heist a day before on Tuesday, 10 November which claimed the lives of a 27-year-old woman and a 59-year-old male security guard and leaving several others injured, including traffic officers, police said numerous rape and robbery incidents have also been reported.

Sergeant Linkie Lefakane, Bekkersdal Police spokesperson said especially people who walk along this road often fall prey to thugs.

In several of the reported incidents criminals wore balaclavas and were armed with knives and firearms.

In a typical scenario, a criminal with his face covered by a balaclava would pounce from the open veld, produce a firearm and rob people of any valuable items. If the victim is a woman, she might also be raped,” Lefakane said.

To minimise these incidents, she encouraged people to walk in groups, and avoid walking in the late afternoons or at night.