As eMalahleni sees a surge in robberies reported weekly, two more business-related robberies were reported in one day.

In Extension 8, a 34-year-old woman was assaulted by robbers who posed as clients.

The victim claims she was working as a receptionist at a guest house.

On Monday, April 17 at around 14:00, the receptionist claims that she responded to a honk at the gate for the potential clients, “I spoke to a man on the phone who requested to book a room on Sunday, April 16. This man came by later to view the guest house and make an appointment to check-in. He informed me that he will make his way the next day,” the receptionist explained.

According to the report, there were about three men in the car that the victim described as a charcoal Kia Picanto branded with mine stickers.

The receptionist alleges that she was able to recognise one of three men because she had seen and spoken to him the day before, “He came in first, greeted and asked if I remembered him. He asked me about prices for the rooms, but quickly walked to the passage as I was responding to him and entered one of the rooms. Two men then came through the door wearing caps and I could not see their faces properly; that is when I got suspicious and went outside and screamed for help,” she cried.

The female victim outlined that the suspects were wearing dirty clothes and looked like they came from work.

The victim alleged that as she screamed for help, the suspects chased her with a knife, pulled her into the house and began physically assaulting her until she passed out.

“When I woke up, I ran outside and again started screaming for help. I saw one of the suspects running into the streets with a TV and I began chasing after him whilst I was screaming,” she cried.

According to reports, community members heard the victim screaming and rushed to assist.

Residents allegedly managed to apprehend the suspect and phoned the police.

The victim alleges that the police did not arrive on the scene as the police van was attending to another scene.

The victim further alleges after they waited for one hour, one of the residents who assisted to apprehend the suspect, fetched his car and drove both the victim and suspect to the nearest police station.

In the second robbery that was reported in Klipfontein, a retailer alleges he was on duty on Monday morning, April 17 at around 09:00. The male victim claims he was packing the cellphone cabinet when three unknown men came into the store and approached the cash desk.

According to reports, one of the suspects threatened the victim with a firearm before instructing him to lie down on the floor and not make a sound.

It is alleged that the suspects proceeded to steal cellphones.

The victim claims that he managed to press the smoke alarm to scare the suspects away, however, that did not work as the suspects continued to steal valuables, even after the shop was filled with smoke.

It is alleged that the suspect fled the scene with a silver Corolla.

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