South Africa's transport minister gets robbed at gun-point on highway

South Africa's Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, while speaking at a parliamentary committee, recalled the ordeal when she was robbed at gunpoint after her vehicle had to be stopped on a highway for changing a burst tyre.

Chikunga said that a gun was pointed at her head by one of the masked attackers during the robbery which occurred early on Monday (November 6).

She added that the attackers took awaya phone, some laptops, and the weapons of her bodyguards.

For a long time, South Africa has been seeing an increase in crime levels, which includes smash-and-grabs, kidnappings and car hijackings.

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However, it was a very unusual incident when a government minister, who was accompanied by armed bodyguards, was robbed.

"I'm in one piece, but the whole experience was very traumatising," said Chikunga, while speaking to the MPs.

She stated that at 03:30 local time on Monday (Nov 6) the minister's bodyguards got out of the car for changing a burst tyre. They had been travelling on a main road south of Johannesburg.

At that very moment, the robbers approached the car forced the bodyguards onto the floor and then opened the door of the car. "They pointed a gun at my head and ordered me to come out,"Chikunga stated.

The robbers demanded money, but the minister informed them that she was not carrying any cash with her. They then thoroughly searched the car and took away whatever they could get.

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While pointing guns at the minister, the robbers also tried to steal the ring of the minister but she said to them, "This was the only thing that I have between my late husband and myself, I value it so much."

We are fine, we are healthy, we are alive: minister

The minister at one point started praying but was asked to keep quiet. "We are fine, we are healthy, we are alive. It was a horrible experience... but God has mercy on us," Chikunga said, as she ended narrating the ordeal to the parliamentarians.

The police confirmed the robber and "a manhunt has since been launched following this unprecedented incident", reported the AFP news agency while quoting police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe.

The Ministry of Transport said that the robbers used the common method of stealing and the tyres of her car "were punctured by spikes [placed on the road], bringing the car to a stop enabling the criminals to rob the occupants of valuables".

The two bodyguards have been sent away on leave "until [they are] fit and proper to return to their posts", said Brig Mathe, as quoted by News24. "Steps are underway to determine what transpired as far as VIP protection protocols are concerned," she added.

(With inputs from agencies)