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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
A BULAWAYO man who lost R16 000 and luggage with valuables estimated to be worth $5 000 after a Johannesburg-bound Bravo bus he was travelling in was robbed by five armed men at gunpoint, is suing the bus company for $200 000.
The man says the money is damages for pain and suffering and loss of property.
The incident occurred on January 31 last year shortly after midnight at a criminal hot spot near Bela Bela in Limpopo province, South Africa.
Five gun toting men pounced on the bus, which was coming from Bulawayo, after it had developed a mechanical fault along the N1 highway. The armed robbers assaulted passengers and went away with their belongings.
Shooter Ngwenya of Nkulumane who is an actor, filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing Bravo Tours Investment, the bus driver Brian Hlomayi and the conductor, John Mujukuchi, as defendants.
Ngwenya seeks an order compelling the bus company to pay him $200 000 for losing his property, pain and suffering he endured after he was assaulted by the armed robbers.
“I was seated near the driver’s seat when the five men descended on the bus and demanded that we surrender all our belongings. I was assaulted on the head with a blunt object as the men held the gun to my head and I was so traumatised,” he said.
Ngwenya said he sustained lacerations and bruises on the head and neck.
“I had to seek medical assistance after sustaining injuries.
“The armed robbers took my R16 000, two cellphones, my luggage containing clothes and herbs and all this is worth $5 000,” he said.
Ngwenya said the bus company employees were negligent.
“Wherefore I pray for the payment of $200 000 being damages for injuries sustained as a direct result of defendants’ negligence, which led to the passengers being robbed at gunpoint,” he said.
Ngwenya said the bus developed the mechanical fault at a crime hotspot.
The bus company has 10 working days to respond.
— @mashnets.
Online Reporter