Fuel station robberies in Polokwane not personal says sasol owner
Prominent local businessman Joe Mukwevho believes the armed robberies at his two Sasol stations in Polokwane last week were part of a national crime trend.
POLOKWANE – Local businessman Joe Mukwevho, the owner of two Sasol fuel stations in Polokwane that were hit by armed robberies within hours of each other last week, says he does not believe the incidents were targeted or personal attacks.
Read more: VIDEOS: CCTV captures back-to-back armed Sasol robberies in Polokwane
CCTV footage captured a group of armed men storming Sasol Madiba Park at 03:00 on Thursday morning.
Half an hour later, at 03:30 Sasol Marshall Street was also robbed.
Mukwevho confirmed that the robbers made off with cigarette stock and register cash with a combined value of around R20 000. These incidents follow a similar robbery in June at Sasol Doornkop in Mpumalanga, which Mukwevho also owns.
According to reports from Middelburg, robbers posing as petrol attendants made off with cigarettes, other items from the convenience store, and an undisclosed amount.
Mukwevho, however, noted that Sasol Makhado, which was also hit on July 27, is not one of his businesses.
He pointed out that many fuel stations across the country have suffered similar fates and that the recent attacks should be seen in that context.
“It is easy to create theories around why the robberies would have targeted me or otherwise. But what we are seeing is an attack on our fuel stations as rightfully concerned owners,” he told Polokwane Observer on Monday.
While private investigators were said to be following strong leads, security upgrades were underway at both stations at the start of the week.
The Limpopo police spokesperson, Col Malesela Ledwaba, confirmed the two incidents and said the dockets were taken over by the Provincial Tracking and Investigation Unit.
“The suspects are still at large and police investigations continue,” he told the Polokwane Review-Observer.
