Over the weekend, a distressing event unfolded on the R556 in North West when a tour bus, carrying 11 foreign travellers, was targeted in a brazen robbery.
Tourist safety in the spotlight after tour bus carrying 11 travellers was attacked in North West
According to reports, the assailants forced the bus to halt along the R556 highway, a crucial tourist route that connects Sun City to Modderspruit, restrained the driver, and led the bus to a secluded area to execute the robbery.
The victims, while not physically harmed, were stripped of their money, bank cards, and valuable mobile equipment by a group of gun-wielding robbers.
Following the harrowing ordeal, North West police were alerted and, as a newly implemented protocol, the National Tourism Safety Strategy was enacted to aid with the response.
The Tourism Safety Team, which included government authorities, travel and tourism associations, the tour operator, and security response coordinators, assisted the victims through the aftermath. Their efforts included police report filing, need assessments, and offering counselling services.
The suspects involved in the brazen R556 tour bus attack remain at large, and thus, the ever-busy route that connects international travellers to Sun City remains exposed.
Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) CEO Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa emphasised the sector’s continuous monitoring of crime hotspots across South Africa.
“We are working around the clock to ensure that our country is a safe destination,” he said.
Despite the recent incident, Tshivhengwa reassured that South Africa remains open for business, welcoming tourists with heightened safety measures in place.
The tourism sector is fully prepared to host visitors during the upcoming high season, with enhanced safety strategies.