Passenger wounded in latest Intercape fleet attack

A passenger was wounded when a long-distance bus Intercape once again came under attack in the Eastern Cape.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE INTERCAPE BUS

A bus travelling from Gqeberha to Johannesburg was shot at along the Penhoek Pass on the N6, allegedly by taxi operators on Thursday, 9 March.

In an interview on Newzroom Afrika, Intercape CEO Johann Ferreira explained that the incident happened in the early hours of Thursday morning.
“The incident happened at 00:47 just before 10km before Jamestown, the bus was on its way from Gqeberha to Johannesburg. Several shots were fired as the bus was driving slowly into the mountain pass.”

“I counted about nine shots, and after the shots, another person threw a huge stone at the windscreens of the bus.”

Johann Ferreira

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WOUNDED PASSENGER REMAINED IN AGONY FOR HOURS

He confirmed that a male passenger was wounded when a bullet went right through the body of the bus, through the seat and hit the passenger through to the stomach and exited at the back.

“We had a lot of trouble getting him into Queenstown because we couldn’t get him out of Jamestown because of the unrest. The ambulance had to turn back because of the unrest in the town. He only reached Queenstown after 12 hours,” Ferreira said.

APPEAL FOR HELP FROM GOVERNMENT

Reflecting on the latest attack, he said, “I’m not surprised but I must say that I am very disturbed by the lack of policing even though the court has instructed the Minister of Transport and the MEC of Transport to put together a plan to safeguard the travelling public in the Eastern Cape”.

EWN reports that Intercape has reported over 100 incidents of violence, intimidation and extortion in recent years.

The bus company has since called on newly appointed Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga to take action.

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