The attempted hijacking of four foreign tourists in two consecutive incidents on Tuesday, September 10, seemingly poured cold water on Tourism Month celebrations in Chief Albert Luthuli Municipality.
The incidents come as the three accused of murdering German tourist Jörg Schnarr (67) near the Kruger National Park’s Numbi Gate on October 3, 2023, are currently on trial in the Mpumalanga High Court.
These latest attacks appear to have been carried out by an unknown number of suspects driving a small blue car, and in both cases, the targets were driving in the direction of eSwatini. In the first incident, the assailants tried to force an elderly Dutch couple off the R38 outside eManzana (formerly Badplaas). It is understood the suspects ‘waived guns at the tourists’ when they refused to stop. Shots were fired and a single round hit the man in the arm, forcing them to stop. The suspects failed to take the couple’s car, but made off with the woman’s handbag, which contained her passport. The man was stabilised at a nearby clinic before being transported to Mediclinic Nelspruit for further care.
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About an hour after the first attack, an elderly foreign couple from Germany were targeted on the R541 about 7km from the Oshoek Border Post. Again the suspects tried to force the tourists off the road, damaging their rental car in the process. Fortunately, they managed to evade their attackers and drove to a nearby filling station where they received police assistance.
The Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism’s (KLCBT) COO, Linda Grimbeek, praised the police for their handling of the situation. All four victims also received prompt assistance from the Tourism Victim Support Initiative – a joint programme run by the KLCBT and the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA). All the victims were met on scene by a support volunteer. The German couple were assisted to continue their journey into eSwatini, from where they are understood to have flown back to Germany on Wednesday.
The Dutch couple received trauma support, and a victim support volunteer spent the night with them at the hospital before being relieved by another one.
Stepping in where family and friends back home normally would, the victim support team also provided a cellphone to the Dutch couple and is in the process of adjusting their travel arrangements to get them back to the Netherlands safely. Grimbeek said the South African government will also foot the travel bill should the victims need to return to South Africa for court proceedings.
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Meanwhile, the MTPA’s spokesperson, Simphiwe Shingube, said the institution is working with strategic sectors such as the SAPS and the private sector and will be conducting awareness campaigns in communities to educate them on the importance of taking good care of tourists. “Tourists are safe in the province. The entity, in collaboration with the private sector and the SAPS, has set up a Tourism Safety Forum that is working very effectively. Tourism safety monitors are deployed at all tourism attractions. CCTV cameras are installed at strategic locations. Police visibility is high to ensure the safety of tourists. The MTPA and its stakeholders conduct awareness campaigns to encourage communities to protect tourists,” he said.
Shingube encouraged tourists to come to Mpumalanga to experience the scenic beauty and wildlife. He said all systems are in place to ensure the safety of the tourists. “The government takes the safety of our tourists very seriously and encourages them to follow all our safety instructions. The MTPA will continue to ensure that tourism guards are deployed at all our attractions.”
