POLOKWANE – The Westenburg police have issued a warning to residents not to walk on the footpath under the Westenburg bridge, part of the route used as a shortcut between Westenburg and the central business district, but to rather use the main road or public transport.
This warning was issued after the police received several robbery complaints from people who used this shortcut recently.
Capt Mohlaka Mashiane, Westenburg police spokesperson, said criminals waited for their targets under the bridge and robbed them of their goods.
Review spoke to a man who was assaulted and robbed of all his belongings under the bridge last Thursday afternoon. “It was just after 17:00 when it happened. I don’t normally use this road, but this day I was late for work and had no choice. As I was walking in the direction of town and approaching the bridge, a man was walking from town to Westenburg and I thought to myself, he was not attacked so it is safe to pass. However, just as I was near the bridge, two men came in my direction and overpowered me. They assaulted me and one stabbed me with a knife above my left eye. They took my clothes, shoes, cell phone and money.” The man added that the men left him naked in the bushes.
“I was lucky to find a piece of cloth in the bushes to cover my private parts. I had blood streaming down my face from the stab wound. A friend of mine who lived near the bridge saw me and came to my rescue. He took me home in his car. I didn’t open a case at the police station because I don’t know the guys who attacked me,” the man said.
According to residents who live near the bridge, the man was not the first victim to be stripped of his clothes and other belongings. “We have seen several people, men and women come from the bridge without clothes and shoes,” one resident said.
The residents said the police come to the scene when victims report the matter to the police, but by the time the police arrived, the suspects had fled the scene already.
“The police say we must not use the bridge as a shortcut, but we don’t have money to use public transport and that is why we take the shortcut. The main road is a long way and if we use that road, we will be late for work. Why can’t the police go undercover and catch these crooks?” residents asked.
Mashiane said the police were busy with an operation that would lead to the arrests of these and other suspects.
