Durban — After hours of social media posts alleging that a number of suspects had been arrested for a KwaZulu-Natal N2 murder and robberies, the police have confirmed that four suspects were arrested.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said that an intelligence-driven operation involving officers from the Cato Manor Task Team and detectives resulted in the arrest of four suspects who were being sought for murder and a spate of armed robberies along the N2 highway, especially along the Chesterville area.
“The suspects’ modus operandi included throwing stones at vehicles and putting stones and rocks along the freeway to cause accidents. The suspects would then pounce on stranded motorists and rob them of their belongings, and would go as far as committing murder,” Netshiunda said.
“The four are also linked to the murder of a 32-year-old man whose body was found lying along the N2 southbound at Wiggins in Cato Manor on the morning of July 9, 2023.”
Netshiunda said that the suspects, aged between 20 and 23 years old, would appear in court soon.
“The operation is continuing and more arrests are expected.”
Netshiunda added: “Police are appealing to motorists who were victims of stone-throwing or man-made punctures and accidents along the N2 and other local routes and had not opened a case, to come forward and report the matter.”
Of late, there have been a number of reports of rocks being left on the N2 or thrown at motorists. Following this, motorists have been robbed.
On Sunday, ALS Paramedics reported that the service responded to an incident at the N2 northbound before Spaghetti Junction where it was alleged that rocks had been placed on the road and a vehicle hit them and crashed into a barrier.
ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said that as the driver was exiting the vehicle, he was then robbed and stabbed in the chest. Jamieson said that the patient, a man in his 20s, was in a serious condition and was transported to hospital by ambulance.
IOL recently reported that in a separate incident, a man was killed after being hit by a vehicle while attempting to flee from robbers who had placed rocks on the N2 near Chesterville informal settlement.
The man's vehicle struck the rocks on the road, and when he got out to inspect the damage, he was attacked by the robbers.
Despite efforts by paramedics, the man was declared dead.
Warnings on a number of crime watch groups urged motorists to avoid driving along the N2 near Chesterville at night because of rock throwing and rocks being placed on the road.
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