In a shocking incident that unfolded a fortnight ago on Saturday, at approximately 06:15, a tour bus carrying 11 tourists was targeted by armed assailants in the Mooinooi area, adding to the rising crime concerns in Rustenburg. This incident follows a series of unsettling fires believed to be arson-related at prominent locations including Sun City Cabanas, Pilanesberg Airport, and the Pilanesberg Game Reserve.
Authorities are intensifying efforts to address the escalating crime rate in the region. The incident involved a tour bus, identified as a Quantum, travelling on the R556. According to reports, the bus was forcibly stopped by four armed suspects who proceeded to rob the 11 tourists on board of their personal belongings and cash. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but the incident has left both residents and visitors alarmed.
Colonel Adéle Myburgh, provincial police spokesperson in North West mentioned that they (South African Police Service), were probing the two incidents where buses ferrying tourists were attacked by robbers. "We can confirm that the incident did occur on Saturday, December 2, 2023, at about 6.15 in the morning. Eleven tourists were riding in a tour bus, a Toyota Quantum, on the R556, in the Mooinooi area, when their bus was allegedly stopped and the tourists robbed of their personal property and cash by four armed suspects,” she said.
Myburgh said among the 11 tourists, six were Germans, two Polish, two British, and one American citizen. Locally based detectives are tirelessly working to identify the suspects involved in the tour bus robbery. In a proactive effort to address the rising crime, Flying Squad and Highway Patrol members are maintaining a constant presence on key routes, including the R566 Road and N4, to enhance visibility and deter criminal activities. The crime wave gripping Rustenburg has taken a sinister turn with a series of fires suspected to be acts of arson.
Notable locations affected include the iconic Sun City Cabanas, the Pilanesberg Airport, and the Pilanesberg Game Reserve. These incidents have raised concerns about the safety and security of both residents and tourists in the region. The recent spate of criminal activities, coupled with the suspected arsons, has sparked widespread concern within the community.
One prominent resident of Tlhabane township, Geoff Moeletsi, expressed his concern about the ever-escalating crime rate in and around Rustenburg. “This is a mining region where you find different nationalities flocking into one settlement. The crime rate is likely to rise because many people do not know each other and their backgrounds. "For example, if you get robbed by three strangers, where are you going to trace them to, because the police will tell you to describe them for an identikit. How is one supposed to recognise his assailant(s) in the dark of the night?” asked Moeletsi.
