Numbi Gate Hijackings

[Lisbeth]

That's the thing that social media is good for: To spread the voice and wake up the authorities

[Richprins]

Especially if someone forwards the social media posts to media!

[Lisbeth]

Yep

[Richprins]

Ref: 9/2/2 – 22- KNP
Wednesday, January, 2022
KNP: High Jacking
MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
ATTEMPTED HIGHJACKING INCIDENT OUTSIDE NUMBI GATE
South African National Parks (SANParks) today sent its message of comfort to the family that survived an attempted hijacking incident on their way home from Kruger National Park (KNP) along the R538 in Mpumalanga.
This regrettable incident involves a family that brought much needed tourism revenue to the Mpumalanga Province said the Acting SANParks CEO Dumisani Dlamini. He advised guests to be extra vigilant when travelling through crime hotspots outside of the national parks as the risk of opportunistic crime is higher in such areas.
“We have communicated with our colleagues in the provincial security cluster to secure all routes leading to the Kruger through regular patrols and visible policing. The South African Police Services (SAPS) has launched a manhunt for the perpetrators. We urge responsible community members to be active in protecting tourists visiting the province as tourism is key to boosting rural economic activity. We wish the family well and speedy recovery to their daughter “concluded Dlamini.
The SAPS advises victims of crime to report all crimes to their toll free number 08600 10111.

[Richprins]

Teen shot in hijacking attempt outside Kruger Park released from hospital

During the hijacking outside the Kruger Park, the teen was shot twice in the leg.

At least 12 shots were fired at the family's car after a holiday in the Kruger Park.

The end of a holiday in the Pretoriuskop rest camp of the Kruger National Park became a near-death experience after a hijacking attempt took place just outside the park.

A Pretoria mother and her two children had just left the park through the Numbi gate and were driving near a taxi rank at Mganduzweni Trust on Monday afternoon when two armed men opened fire on their vehicle, reports Pretoria Rekord.

Melani de Beer was travelling in a Hyundai with a trailer attached when she drove slowly over a speed bump along the R538 in Mpumalanga.

This was when the attackers tried to hijack her, she detailed in a series of Facebook posts.

De Beer says police told her about 12 shots were fired at her vehicle.

Despite this, she drove on, “trailer and all”, for a few kilometres, before realising there were six bullet holes in the tyres, window, seat, bonnet and side of the car.

De Beer kept driving despite her tyres being shot.

Her 14-year-old daughter was shot in the leg in two places, and underwent surgery. De Beer said in her latest post on Saturday that her daughter had finally been discharged from hospital.

“Now the physical and emotional recovery for everyone lies ahead.”

A manhunt has since been launched for the perpetrators by officers at Masoyi near White River, police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala confirmed to Pretoria Rekord.

Mohlala said a member of the public assisted de Beer after the attack.



Acting South African National Parks CEO Duminsani Dlamini sent a message of comfort to the family, and said the incident was “regrettable”.

“We have communicated with our colleagues in the provincial security cluster to secure all routes leading to the Kruger through regular patrols and visible policing.

“We urge responsible community members to be active in protecting tourists visiting the province as tourism is key to boosting rural economic activity,” Dlamini said.

Edited by Nica Richards.

This article first appeared on Caxton publication Pretoria Rekord. Read the original article here.

https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-af ... -XGxiV8hCk

[Richprins]

Kruger Park region loses R1m after horror hijacking attempt
Since the attack outside the park on 3 January, at least R1 million in revenue has been lost, with tourists cancelling bookings.


Despite concerted efforts to catch suspects involved in a hijacking attempt on a single mother and her two children, which left one shot and hospitalised, tourism in the Kruger National Park (KNP) Numbi Gate region has taken a knock.

Lowvelder reports that since the attack on 3 January, at least R1 million in revenue has been lost, with tourists cancelling bookings.

This was confirmed to the publication by Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism (KLCBT) head Linda Grimbeek, after a meeting with Mpumalanga police commissioner Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela regarding the incident.

Melani de Beer and her two children, Miah (14) and Marnu (11), were on the way to their Pretoria home after holidaying at the Pretoriuskop rest camp in the KNP when they were attacked by two armed men near a taxi rank at Mganduzweni Trust on the R538.

At least 12 shots were fired at the family’s car after a holiday in the Kruger Park. Photos: Facebook



The men opened fire on de Beer’s SUV and trailer, with de Beer saying police told her about 12 shots were fired at her vehicle.

Miah was shot in the leg in two places, and underwent surgery, only being released from hospital last weekend.

Grimbeek assured that a “massive manhunt” had been launched to nab the suspects involved in the botched hijacking.

“I can confirm that police are doing everything in their power to find the suspects. The new commissioner is dedicated and driven.

“This is the best reaction from police I have ever seen in my life,” Grimbeek told Lowvelder.

No one has been arrested so far, and Grimbeek was unable to go into detail regarding the meeting she had with Manamela.

Police have opened attempted murder and attempted hijacking charges.

Acting South African National Parks CEO Dumisani Dlamini has said in a statement that provincial security officials in the province are regularly patrolling all routes to the park.



“We urge responsible community members to be active in protecting tourists visiting the province as tourism is key to boosting rural economic activity,” Dlamini said.

Grimbeek said the amount of tour operators who called her confirming cancellations was overwhelming.

She said there was even a tour group from England that had travelled throughout Africa that cancelled the South African leg of their travels after the incident.

Grateful but traumatised

An emotional de Beer told Lowvelder that had she not pushed Miah, who was sitting in the passenger seat, down, and drove off despite the hail of bullets, her injuries would likely have been worse.

“They would possibly have shot her in the neck, shoulders or back,” de Beer said as she recounted the attack.

She said a bullet missed Marnu’s feet by millimetres.

To ease the blow of the traumatic incident slightly, de Beer said Lowveld residents provided her and Marnu with free accommodation and meals, and ensured that her damaged vehicle arrived safely in Pretoria.



“There are so many people who I need to thank. They really took us in as if we were their own people.”

She said the incident was “unnecessary”, and lamented that “our country is in a mess and we need tourism so much.”

https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-af ... Mh4rct5gnA

[Lisbeth]

Was to be expected.

If the Government does not start to do something serious about the poverty in the country, these attacks will never stop Also the police needs a serious overhaul

[Richprins]

I think SANParks should use their mysterious Community Levy to pay for informal security workers on this access road.

[Lisbeth]

Maybe, but it is not only this road, unfortunately

[Richprins]

Geen verdagtes in hegtenis ná aanval buite wildtuin

Niemand is tot dusver in verband met die voorval waarin 'n gesin van Pretoria buite die Numbi-hek van die Nasionale Krugerwildtuin deur gewapende mans aangeval is, in hegtenis geneem nie.
3 hours ago
Andrea van Wyk

Sers. Nanikie Nonyane, die woordvoerder van die Masoyi-polisie, het dit vandeesweek bevestig, asook dat die sake van poging tot moord en poging tot motorkaping steeds ondersoek word.

Dit is nou meer as twee weke sedert Melani de Beer (39) en haar twee kinders, Miah (14) en Marnu (11), die slagoffers was van twee mans wat op die R538 by ‘n taxistaanplek in Mganduzweni op hul voertuig losgebrand het.

Die gesin het ‘n vakansie in die wildtuin geniet, waarna die voorval op pad huis toe, na Montanapark in Pretoria, gebeur het.
Melani de Beer. > Foto: Andrea van Wyk

Melani en haar kinders is intussen terug in Pretoria, nadat hulle langer as verwag in Mbombela moes bly, omdat Miah in die aanval beseer is. Sy het twee skietwonde in haar bobeen opgedoen.

Volgens Melani gaan Miah nog gereeld vir sessies om haar wond skoon te maak. Sy het steeds ‘n dreineringspyp wat die bloed in die wond stimuleer en dit dreineer, om groei aan te moedig.


“Op die oomblik vat ons dit net dag vir dag. Ons gemoed is heel oukei. Marnu is weer terug skool toe en dit doen hom goed. Miah is nog afgeboek en behoort teen Maandag weer terug te gaan skool toe,” het Melani Woensdag aan Laevelder gesê.

Die polisie het kort ná die voorval gesê dat ‘n reusemensejag van stapel gestuur is om die aanvallers vas te trek.

Linda Grimbeek, die hoof van die Kruger-Laeveld Sake- en Toerismekamer, het vroeër gesê die toerismebedryf in die Laeveld het weens dié voorval groot skade gely .

Volgens haar het sekere lodges en ander akkommodasie minstens R1 miljoen weens kansellasies verloor.


Sommige van dié kansellasies is van buitelandse toeriste wat van die nuus te hore gekom het en van plan verander het om eerder nie die gebied te besoek nie.

https://lowvelder.co.za/765928/geen-ver ... -wildtuin/