Road freight operators in South Africa have been warned about a tactic used by armed assailants to hijack trucks, resulting in calls for truckers to rather ram vehicles carrying suspected criminals off the road.
This has emerged after a truck driver was hijacked by two pistol-carrying men on the R40 in Bushbuckridge yesterday.
In video footage recorded by the truck’s on-board camera system, a white pickup truck can be seen deliberately slowing down in front of the truck.
The Toyota bakkie, presumably also hijacked or stolen, swerves from side to side while the driver’s frustration can clearly be seen when the interfering vehicle succeeds in forcing the driver to stop.
The pickup had hardly stopped when two assailants alighted from the passenger side of the bakkie, each armed with a 9mm pistol.
The trucker immediately puts his hands up while the two assailants breach the cabin while the bakkie they were in takes off.
That’s how easily it happens.
A security official, commenting to the Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport Associations that posted the on-board footage, said this sort of hijacking tactic had become common practice.
Buskbuckridge and surrounding areas of Mbombela have become particularly notorious for violent crime of this nature.
More importantly, he advised truckers not to stop no matter what.
“You’ve got permission, if this happens to you, ram that vehicle off the road completely. We will fight with insurance. Be careful – don’t stop for these types of criminals.”
He reminded transporters that the “silly season” was in full swing and criminality in South Africa’s supply-chain sector would most likely increase as December came closer.
Criminals are going to target trucks with increasing regularity, and drivers should keep their eyes open.
Drivers should use their trucks to defend themselves as an ordinary car or bakkie doesn’t stand a chance against a moving heavy-duty vehicle.
“We can fix a truck but we cannot fix your life if they put a bullet in you, so don’t stop. Pay attention to where you are on the road and where you are offloading. Trucks and cargo can be insured but your life is your life, so please be vigilant.”
It is not clear what happened to the trucker involved in yesterday’s hijacking.
