Pretoria – An witness of the murder of the German tourist who was killed near the Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga on Monday said police arrived at the crime scene 45 minutes after he called them. He said crime was common in the area.
Andrew Khoza, a director at the Heroes Academy educational facility near White River where the Hyundai Staria transporting the four German tourists crashed after the shot driver lost control, said the assailants fled the scene in a bakkie.
“We were seated next to the school gate, inside, then we heard a gunshot. We went outside to see what was happening, then I saw a car reversing. There was a lady who was screaming: ‘do not kill my husband, do not kill us’. It happened in a matter of seconds,” Khoza told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika.
“As the car (the tourists’ Hyundai Staria) was reversing, the bakkie that had shot that gentleman just drove off. After some seconds, the guy that was driving the Hyundai lost control then he hit the wall of the school.”
The Hyundai Staria travelled about 100 metres in reverse after the tourist who was driving had been shot. It then crashed into Khoza’s school.
Khoza said the incident was “scary”.
“I went to check, thinking he (the German tourist who was driving) was trapped. He was not trapped, he was dead. His mouth was open and I could see he was dead. I called the police immediately and after 45 minutes they came. The station commander was the first to arrive,” said Khoza.
He told the television channel that in a previous incident, two men tried to shoot a driver transporting tourists because he refused to stop.
“It happened where we are standing right now. There was a bus for the tourists, and two young guys came out exactly where we are and they were trying to shoot the driver who was refusing to stop. Unfortunately, the driver was also shooting at them. One lady was shot. I do not know if she died or not,” said Khoza.
“Another one (incident) that happened was two months back. I even have the picture. One parent was collecting his child here so he saw some tourists being attacked by those boys. As he tried to chase them, they shot his son. The son spent some weeks in the hospital (where doctors tried) to remove the bullet in the forehead. I have the pictures here with me.”
In another incident, Khoza said he saw a tourist who had been shot “in the forehead”.
“That person was dead. The doors (of his car) were open. All the doors were open. These are some of the things that are happening this side. This thing, they are not doing it at night. It is like they have the licence and permission to operate and rob these tourists. They do it during the day,” he said.
“Police are doing their best but it seems they are few. That is what is happening. You call the police and they say the bakkie is out, attending another crime that is happening. Our place is not safe.”
Police Minister Bheki Cele visited the area on Tuesday.
Cele’s entourage included the national police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola.
IOL