Shoppers should at all times be vigilant at mall
According to the victim, a local advocate, Mr Pat Sekatane, he was driving in Lekazi when he was approached by armed men after stopping at a traffic light at about 21:00.
LIHAWU – Is the newly opened Emoyeni Mall a new hub for opportunistic criminals?
This was the question that lingered in the minds of residents and shoppers who were excited with the opening of the mall just a few months ago.
What sparked the concern was a spate of robberies where shoppers were robbed of money and other valuables and a hijack case that took place last Thursday.
According to the victim, a local advocate, Mr Pat Sekatane, he was driving in Lekazi when he was approached by armed men after stopping at a traffic light at about 21:00. They demanded that he step out of the car before speeding off in it.
“Before driving off, one of the men told me that they had been watching me while I had been shopping at Emoyeni Mall and when I drove off, they followed me,” said the victim.
His ransacked vehicle was later recovered at Mbonisweni.
The police confirmed the incident and added that this was the third hijack case in the area since the mall had opened and that the vehicles were all abandoned at the same place.
Another robbery victim told Mpumalanga News that she had been walking to catch a taxi around 17:00 when two young men approached her and asked if they could help her carry her groceries.
“Before I could even answer, one of the boys snatched my bag and ran away and the other one followed. I tried to scream for help and security guards ran after them, but they managed to escape with my handbag that had money, my cards and other valuables in it,” said Ms Lesedi Makhubela of Lihawu.
Local police have advised shoppers to be cautious of thieves who might pose as good Samaritans offering help.”
