South African killed at Mpumalanga lodge

IT was revealed late last week that the tourist who died in a robbery at the Umbhaba Lodge in Hazyview last Thursday night, was a South African citizen. Geoffrey Alan Dex (55) of Mokopane was in the dining area with his family when he heard a noise in the bar next door at about 22h15. He went to investigate and found three masked men, one of whom was armed, holding up receptionist, Jacky Labuschagne. "The robbers had just stolen about R1 000 from the cash register at gun-point," said Hazyview police spokesman, Inspector Phillip Fakudze on Friday. The robber with the gun shot Dex three times in the chest and all three then fled on foot. Police don't have any suspects, but hope to make arrests soon. Managing director of the lodge, Francois Lourens, said the incident was yet another blow to Mpumalanga's tourism industry, which is reeling from the effects of at least 29 attacks on foreign tourists alone in the last year. "It is a sad day for Mpumalanga because armed robbers continue to dent the image of tourism by attacking tourists," Lourens said. Hazyview Tourism Association chairman, Jeff Rosenberg, also condemned the incident. "Many tourists from all over the world pass through Hazyview when travelling to the Kruger National Park and these attacks won't be tolerated," he said. Meanwhile, News24.com reports that two German tourists were hijacked near Krokodilpoort, Mpumalanga, at the weekend. They were traumatised but unharmed. (African Eye News Service)