Police authorities in South Africa have lacuhed an investigation into the killing of a German tourist during a case of an attempted carjacking in the eastern Mpumalanga province.
The victim was part of a group of four German tourists who were waylaid on Monday evening while travelling towards a safari lodge at the Kruger National Park.
The gang is said to have ordered the tourists to open the doors of their vehicle, but when the driver reportedly locked all the doors, one of the suspects shot him through the window, police said.
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Local police said the tourist died on the spot and the suspects sped off without taking anything.
‘This is really cruel and uncalled for given the economic challenges that our country is facing,’ police boss Semakaleng Daphney Manamela
Police at Masoyi are investigating an incident in which a tourist was fatally shot by a group of ruthless criminals at Numbi Road near White River in the afternoon of today at around 16h30.
According to the report, at that time, four tourists from Germany were traveling in a Hyundai H1 on Numbi Road enroute to Numbi Gate at Mdluli Safari lodge. They were then stopped by three armed suspects who were driving in a VW Caddy. The suspects are said to have instructed the tourists to open the doors of their vehicle but when the driver reportedly locked all the doors, apparently one of the suspects shot him in the upper body through the window. It is further said that the victims’ vehicle drove in reverse for about 100 meters before crushing into the wall of Heroes Academy. Unfortunately, the driver died on the spot as a result of the shooting. The suspects reportedly sped off in their vehicle without taking anything from the tourists.
Africa Today News, New York gathered that the police at Masoyi as well as other role players in the Emergency Services were alerted about the incident. A murder case was opened with an immediate launch of a manhunt for the suspects.
No one has been arrested as yet and police urge anyone with information that may assist in apprehending the perpetrators to immediately call the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111 or send information via MySAPS App. All received information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous.
Meanwhile the Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has vehemently condemned the terrible atrocity carried out by the suspects.