The Kruger business and tourism has offered a reward of R50,000 to anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the killers of a German tourist.
Kruger Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism chairperson Oupa Pilane told Sowetan they would beef up security along Numbi Road towards the Kruger National Park.
Pilane said muggings, theft and common robbery are something tourists always complained about and they have installed cameras along the road. "Private security companies also patrol the road, but the death of the German tourist is something that shows the need for them to do more.
“We are trying to deploy more security officials and more cameras. We have had muggings, common robberies and people stealing tourists' belongings,” said Pilane.
Tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu joined the tourism sector in condemning the incident, saying it was reversing the gains on economic recovery after the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
SA Tourism said it is concerned about the negative impact the incident may have on tourism.
The organisation said SA receives a large number of tourists from Germany, adding that the tourism sector took a knock during the pandemic.
“As a sector, we are aware that crime tops the list of factors that tourists have raised as a concern when choosing SA as a destination. It was with this in mind that at a recent gathering of tourism industry leaders, the sector called for SA's security cluster to help us in bolstering tourism safety and acting fast against acts of criminality that affect the sectors potential,” said SA Tourism acting CEO Themba Khumalo.
“South Africans are welcoming people and this criminal behaviour is inconsistent with our warm and welcoming spirit, which is our inate way of life. The protection of all tourists is immensely important to us and therefore we continue to consult the South African Police Service and all relevant authorities in this regard.”
CEO of the Tourism Business Council of SA, Tshfhiwa Tshivhengwa said violence against tourists is equivalent to economic crimes such as stealing copper cables and gold, and something must be done urgently.
The killing of a German tourist Numbi Road outside Hazyview is the third hijacking to happen on the road this year.
The director of Heroes Academy, Andrew Khoza, whose school wall was crashed into when the German tourist and his three passengers tried to evade the gunmen, said earlier this year a pupil from his school was shot in the head when his parent tried to help tourists who were being hijacked.
On Monday's incident, Khoza said: “It was around 4:30pm ... I was with my learners at school when I heard gunshots. Me and my staff members then rushed towards the gate. We saw a VW Caddy speeding off and a Hyundai H1 reversing and hit our school wall.
“We rushed to help after hearing a woman in the car screaming. We found a man inside the car bleeding... he had been shot. Though we called the police, they arrived about 45 minutes later; the man died in front of us.”
Recalling another incident which occured earlier this year, Khoza said a bus ferrying tourists was ambushed and shot at by thugs.
“No-one was injured. Again this year, a learner from my school was shot in the head while walking with his parent who had just feteched him from school. The parent was trying to help tourists who were being hijacked... lucky enough the child didn't die.
“We think this area needs more attention. We would love for the state to bring more security gadgets like cameras and the police to be always visible along this road,” said Khoza.
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