JOHANNESBURG - A Zimbabwean bus was last Friday shot at and its passengers robbed by armed men in South Africa along the N1 highway to Zimbabwe, according to eyewitnesses. The Pioneer bus carrying about 55 passengers had its front tyre shot at by a group of armed men in Hammerskool north of Johannesburg.
“The incident occurred around 1 am on Friday. The bus had its front tyre shot before the robbers stormed in demanding cellphones and cash from the passengers,” said a Pioneer bus driver.
“The spot is becoming problematic because of these robberies.”
No injuries were reported but the robbers made off with an assortment of cellphones and cash taken from the passengers. Other eyewitnesses said buses travelling to Zimbabwe were becoming a target because most of them were not equipped with tracking systems.
Most buses travelling to Zimbabwe, about 20 a day on either way, carry cross border traders and small scale business people who travel to South Africa on a daily basis, to buy stuff for re-sale back home. These traders are believed to be contributing a significant business percentage to businesses north of the Limpopo.
Over the years when Zimbabwe was facing severe food shortages, these traders kept the country going with their imports of several items from fuel to food.
With the country’s economy tottering on an uncertain recovery path, these traders remain a vital cog of the Zimbabwean supply and retail chain and their obvious buying power makes them automatic targets of robbers south of the Limpopo.
Post published in: News