Windhoek
Two attempted hijackings on the road between Rehoboth and Windhoek early yesterday morning have sown suspicion among long-distance drivers and transport company owners that there is a well organised gang targeting long-distance trucks. A truck driver working for Special Inn Transport narrowly escaped death after two unidentified assailants – driving a white Toyota bakkie – fired three shots at him in the wee hours of Sunday morning in an attempt to hijack the truck, carrying empty beer crates from Oranjemund to Windhoek.
Transport company owner Simon Nambahu told New Era that the incident happened at around 03h00 on Sunday – some 10 kilometres from Kalkrand en route to Rehoboth – when a white Toyota bakkie overtook the truck and suddenly decellerated in front of the truck, with its hazard lights turned on.
Nambahu said his driver was on his way to Windhoek from Oranjumund, where he had gone to deliver beer, when the shooting incident occurred. According to Nambahu, the white bakkie that overtook his truck suddenly slowed down and consequently the driver became suspicious and tried to overtake the bakkie. That was when the men in the bakkie started firing shots at the truck.
“One of the shots hit the windscreen and shattered it, injuring the driver’s face. That is when Matthias and his co-driver pulled off the road. The bakkie parked at a nearby tree and two men jumped out of the car. “They perhaps thought they had shot Matthias, but when they saw him and the co-driver open the truck, the criminals ran back
to their vehicle and drove off in the direction of Kalkrand. We’re not sure why they decided to run away,” Nambahu said.
He is worried about the possibility that hijackings may become a trend in Namibia, saying such incidents are rife in neighbouring South Africa. “My driver managed to write down the number plate. It has a Rehoboth registration
number. We heard there is a hijacking gang operating in Rehoboth and they want to hijack trucks like in South Africa. It’s national issue and truck owners should be aware of these types of hijacking techniques,” he cautioned.
“The good thing is the truckdriver took down the car registration number and it has been provided to the police for further investigation, but the motive behind the shooting is not yet clear,” Chief Inspector Kauna Shikwambi said.
In a second incident yesterday morning a truck driver, employed by a different company, offered a lift from Keetmanshoop to Rehoboth to an unknown person. On their way there the hitchhiker apparently realised there was a jukebox in the truck and then pulled out and pointed a gun at the driver, demanding that he drive straight to
Rehoboth without stopping.
“However, along the way, some 30 kilometres outside Rehoboth, the truck ran out of fuel and stopped. While they were there, a white Citi Golf approached the truck. Together with the passenger they demanded the jukebox, but it could not fit into their getaway car, so they just left the truckdriver there with the jukebox and drove off,” Shikwambi
said. No arrest has been made yet in either case.