Man killed for two phones during N4 rock trap
Wynand Vos was shot and killed when he and his brother-in-law encountered a rock trap on the N4.
What would have been a trip to Mpumalanga turned tragic when a 30-year-old man was shot and killed during a rock trap robbery along the N4.
Wynand Vos (30) and his brother-in-law Eduan Nolte (27) were driving to Vosman, Emalahleni, when they encountered a row of rocks placed in the middle of the road, just outside Bronkhorstspruit a month ago.
Nolte, who had to attend to a work call on the day, recalled the events that led to his brother in-law’s senseless death over just two cellphones.
“I hit a rock on the right-hand side of the road. I couldn’t move to the left due to another car being on the left so I was trapped on the right. And even if I did avoid it, I would have hit the rocks on the other side,” Nolte said.
“I knew it was a trap. I told my brother-in-law that we need to keep on driving because it’s a trap.”
With a damaged tyre, Nolte continued driving for an additional two kilometres before they stopped to assess the damage.
He said the extent of the damage required a change of tyres which the pair struggled with, as part of the boot was also damaged forcing them to access the spare wheel from the inside of the car.
“As I was trying to rip off the board covering the boot, I heard a commotion, screaming and I heard four gunshots,” he said.
“As I got out of the vehicle to see what was happening, I saw my brother-in-law dropping to the ground and as I tried to run towards him, they pointed a gun at me and told me to lie down and close my eyes.”
He said the men then forced him up and walked him further up a hill where they again forced him to lie down, searched him and asked if he had any firearms.
“As I was lying there, I was scared, I didn’t know if they were going to shoot me. A lot was going through my mind in those few minutes, knowing that my brother-in-law was lying on the ground and they were about to kill me,” he said.
“After a few minutes of lying there, I couldn’t hear the robbers anymore, so I stood up and ran to my brother-in-law to see if he was okay. He was not doing well.”
When trying to flag down other vehicles for help didn’t work, Nolte got into their broken vehicle and drove a few kilometres where he found metro police helping another victim of a road trap.
For safety, the group drove back to Bronkhorstspruit where the injured father of two was airlifted to hospital.
“Unfortunately, two weeks later he died in hospital,” Nolte said.
“He was a very helpful person. He always availed himself to people. My sister is trying to stay strong, but it’s hard for her, especially having to celebrate their children’s birthdays without him.”
Nolte said their phones were the only things stolen during the robbery.
Road traps have become a common trend with the N4 becoming a prominent hotspot where criminals place objects such as spikes and rocks that cause punctures to tyres.
Motorists along this route have also experienced rock-throwing along bridges forcing them to stop, during which they get robbed of their valuables.
The gateway route, which runs from the Botswana border right through to the Mozambique border, has seen a spate of traps starting in Pretoria to Komatipoort.
“Please be vigilant on the road,” Nolte warned.
ALSO READ:No arrests as man killed in N4 highway rock-trap travelling with nine-month-old baby and wife
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