A group of Zimbabweans working as Uber Eats delivery riders in South Africa have raised alarm over a surge in armed robberies targeting their motorbikes, with reports suggesting the stolen bikes are being brought to Zimbabwe for resale.
The riders, who have formed an Anti-Hijacking Group to combat these attacks, claim that incidents of armed robbery have sharply increased, with some resulting in the loss of lives.
Speaking to CITE, the victims revealed that their group, spearheaded by founder Thubelihle Sigola, has been actively investigating the thefts and has uncovered a disturbing pattern linking the crimes to individuals from Kezi.
“We have been dealing with these cases for the past three years, and they keep increasing. In the last two years, two deaths have been recorded due to these hijackings, and if this matter is not addressed, there will be more,” said Sigola.
Through their investigations, the group discovered that some of the perpetrators are from Kezi, with both victims who were killed in the robberies also hailing from the same area. The crimes initially began in Florida and Randfontein but have become more prevalent in Soweto.
“We traced one suspect who confirmed he was from Kezi and pointed us towards an alleged kingpin also from the area. We located the individual, but unfortunately, the police later released him,” Sigola explained.
The group is now appealing to the police in Zimbabwe’s Matabeleland South province to investigate the matter and take action against those in possession of undocumented motorbikes.
“We hope to work effectively with the police. We are gathering information and will soon head to Kezi to present our findings to the authorities, giving them a starting point for their investigations,” Sigola said.
He urged the public to assist by reporting any motorbikes they suspect might be stolen or lack proper documentation, stressing that the original owners still possess the necessary documents to prove ownership.
