Tshwarelo Hunter Mogakane
Pretoria - Tourism authorities have condemned an alarming incident in which more than 20 gunmen held up a filling station that frequently serves international tourists who visit the town of Graskop in Mpumalanga.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said the armed robbery took place in the early hours of Tuesday.
“According to the report, a group of more than 20 armed suspects who covered their faces with balaclavas stormed into a certain filling station in Graskop, an area which is regarded as one of the tourist destinations in the province.
“The report further indicates that, on that day, the said suspects posed as clients who wanted to refill at the fuel station around midnight. However, when fuel attendants offered their assistance, the suspects reportedly held them at gunpoint, tying up all of them with cable ties.”
Mohlala said although no one was injured, a cashier who was held hostage was ordered to show them where the drop-in-safe was.
“Later, the suspects allegedly detonated some explosives to open the safe before they reportedly made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.”
However, the robbers were not done for the night.
“It is also alleged that a few minutes later, the suspects went to a tourist centre. The premises is situated a few metres away from the filling station which was attacked earlier.
“It is said that the suspects held a security guard at gunpoint then tied him up with cable ties.
“The suspects then somehow disabled the alarm system before accessing the building and detonated some explosives to access cash from the safe. They reportedly made off with an undisclosed amount of cash,” Mohlala said.
Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency chairperson Victor Mashego said the incident jeopardised plans to expand the tourism experiences that Graskop had to offer.
Graskop is famous for its breathtaking panorama route, the Blyde River Canyon, God’s Window, Lisbon Falls, and the Graskop Gorge Lift, which have attracted thousands of tourists.
“We would like to repeat the statement we made when the German tourists were attacked at Numbi Gate last year – any crime that targets tourism activities is demonic.
“Unfortunately, this is a demon that wants to destroy opportunities for black people by black people. The Graskop area benefits all the community members who earn a living entertaining or providing services and products to tourists,” he said.
Mashego said plans were already afoot to bring direct flights from OR Tambo International Airport to Graskop.
“Graskop has always had a small airport that is used by firefighters. We are already in negotiations with an airline company that wants to bring flights to Graskop twice a week.
“We strongly condemn this incident because it is preventing more jobs from being created. Tourism is one of the best ways of empowering locals because they can have jobs or sell their own products, but when you chase tourists away, what should happen?” he asked.
The November airline deal that enabled tourists flying from Germany to land at the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport was expected to add an estimated R750 million to Mpumalanga’s gross domestic product, Mashego said.
“Graskop is situated in the financially troubled Thaba Chweu Local Municipality, which can easily benefit at least R100m per annum from flights coming to this tourist destination.
“We are hopeful that these armed thugs will be brought to justice.
“That’s why we are thankful for the efforts of provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela for demonstrating less tolerance for criminality,” Mashego said.
“We are happy with the fact that suspects in the German tourist murder have been apprehended.”
Pretoria News