Hijackers use cows in ambushes in SA

KWAMHLANGA – A gang of rural hijackers in Mpumalanga is using an unusual weapon – they use a herd of cows to ambush victims.

The gang of six men apparently herd the cows into the road to first stop motorists travelling through Mpumalanga’s deep rural KwaMhlanga district, and then herd smaller groups of cows to surround the cars so their victims cannot escape. “Once the vehicle is surrounded, the men produce firearms and force the driver out of the vehicle.They tie up the victim, clear the cows out of the way, and all six men then jump into the vehicle and speed off,” says Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Captain Klaas Maloka.”It’s a new and very unusual tactic, which most recently worked against a government worker who had his bakkie stolen near Mmamethlake village this week.”Police have no leads yet on the ‘cow-jackers’ and say that the men appear to appropriate any unguarded herds of cattle for their ambushes.The gang is not, however, the only group with an apparent taste for hijacking government cars in the KwaMhlanga district.A gang of “urban thugs” used their own vehicle to force a government sedan off the road to Witbank on Tuesday last week, before pulling firearms and forcing the driver to surrender his keys.Neither car has been recovered and police are investigating both incidents.African Eye”Once the vehicle is surrounded, the men produce firearms and force the driver out of the vehicle.They tie up the victim, clear the cows out of the way, and all six men then jump into the vehicle and speed off,” says Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Captain Klaas Maloka.”It’s a new and very unusual tactic, which most recently worked against a government worker who had his bakkie stolen near Mmamethlake village this week.”Police have no leads yet on the ‘cow-jackers’ and say that the men appear to appropriate any unguarded herds of cattle for their ambushes.The gang is not, however, the only group with an apparent taste for hijacking government cars in the KwaMhlanga district.A gang of “urban thugs” used their own vehicle to force a government sedan off the road to Witbank on Tuesday last week, before pulling firearms and forcing the driver to surrender his keys.Neither car has been recovered and police are investigating both incidents.African Eye