TSHIFULANANI – The Vuwani police have opened an armed robbery case after a well–known debt collector was attacked and robbed of his blue Toyota bakkie by three unknown men at the Tshifulanani T–junction, commonly known as Zwikwengani, at about 00:20 last Sunday.

Mr David Makgakga (39) is a debt collector at a Louis Trichardt-based company and resides at Tsianda-Mugumoni Village. According to the statement made by Makgakga to the police, the incident took place after he had offered a lift to a man at Tsianda. "The man told me that he wanted to alight at the Zwikwengani T-junction. I stopped there and to my surprise I saw three armed men opening my door and instructing me to get out, before they drove away in the direction of Tshakhuma," said Makgakga.

Makgakga further told the Vuwani Police that he then decided to ask for a lift to seek help at the Thohoyandou Police station. "I then asked a lift from six men travelling in a Toyota Stallion bakkie, but things turned sour after they demanded money for the lift, and I told them that I didn't have any money," said Makgakga. He further indicated that they started assaulting him with their fists and with a sharp instrument. He sustained injuries on his left hand, left leg and on the buttocks.

The suspects then order Makgakga to get out of the car while the car was still in motion, and they drove away into the direction of Thohoyandou, the police report states.

The registration number of the blue Toyota bakkie is DBY 227 N, a 1997 model to the value of about R 50 000. The police are investigating the case and are appealing to the public to provide information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects to the nearest police station.