A 40-year-old South African truck driver was attacked by three unknown assailants, who were armed with machetes, and robbed of R2 000 and a cellphone, police have said.

The local police spokesperson, Insp Patrick Chademana, said the incident happened last Friday at around 01:00 along the Beitbridge-Gweru Highway. He said the truck driver had stopped at a lay-bye to relieve himself when the incident happened.

“The victim, a South African truck driver, was travelling towards Harare and when he disembarked to relieve himself, three unknown suspects emerged from the bush and attacked him several times. The victim lost consciousness and the suspects then robbed him of his cellphone and R2 000 before they disappeared into the bush,” he said.

Chademana said the truck driver later regained consciousness, upon which he saw another car approaching and flagged it to stop and went to report the matter at a nearby police station. The victim sustained serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Chademana appealed to drivers, especially unsuspecting foreign haulage truck drivers, to desist from stopping at secluded places like the bush as doing so puts their lives at risk.

“We are appealing to community member to assist with information that will lead to the arrest of the suspects,” he said. About five months ago, another South African truck driver employed by ZimBulk transport company of Pretoria, was robbed of US$ 280, three cellphone handsets, a suitcase containing new clothes and a car DVD player by two unknown suspects along the same highway.

The suspects are also still at large.