Prominent chief unharmed during hijacking at gunpoint

LIMPOPO – A prominent local traditional leader, chief Livhuwani Matsila, became one of the latest statistics of violent crime when he was hijacked at gunpoint in Ha-Masia last Sunday at around 19:00.

Matsila pulled up in front of the gate at his aunt’s house in Ha-Vhangani when two men appeared and held him at gunpoint, demanding the keys to his bakkie.

The suspects fled with his Toyota Hilux GD6, bank cards and cellphones. Matsila was not injured.

On August 3, Louis Bobodi, the spokesperson of Makhado Municipality, was hijacked at gunpoint by two men at his home in Ha-Mashau Thenga. The police confirmed that Bobodi was one of three recent cases where Toyota double-cab bakkies have been reported stolen.

None of these bakkies have been found yet.

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Provincial police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said that a manhunt was launched to track the suspects.

Anyone with information can call the Crime Stop number on 08600 10111 or send information via the MySAPSApp. Alternatively, they can contact the nearest police station. Chief Thinawanga Ratshitanga expressed his dismay over Matsila’s incident, saying that he hoped the police would do their best to bring the perpetrators to book.

The secretary of the Vhembe Concerned Group, Phathutshedzo Ramabulana, said residents were fed-up with the escalation of carjackings and abduction of young children, and other crimes in their area and have threatened on several occasions to take the law into their own hands if the police did not do something about the matter soon.

“Cases had reached an intolerably high number, and the police are dragging their feet to address this problem. I urge everyone to unite in the fight against crime and call on the police to deal harshly with these criminals in our area,” he said.