The Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) has advised haulage truck drivers going to and from South Africa to travel in convoys to minimise the chances of being hijacked.

This comes after an increase in the number of recent hijacking incidents on the N4 route around the Rustenburg and Mafikeng area on the Trans-Kalahari Corridor.

WBCG spokesperson Maria Paulus, in a statement to the Namibian transport and logistics industry yesterday, said the hijackers are targeting the entire truck and its consignment.

South Africa is Namibia's biggest trading partner in the region and most of the goods between the two countries are transported by road, making haulage truck drivers vulnerable to attacks.

"With these latest incidents, truck owners, drivers and transport operators travelling to and from South Africa, are kindly and urgently warned of increased incidents of hijacking that is targeting the entire truck and its consignment.

"Truck drivers are at high risk of being assaulted or even killed, hence urged to be vigilant and more cautious," said WBCG chief executive Hippy Tjivikua.

"Drivers are further advised to drive in convoys, and report to law enforcement officers whenever they suspect anything unusual," Tjivikua said.

He added that in the unfortunate event of truck drivers falling victim to hijacking and losing their identity documents, they are encouraged to contact the Namibian high commission in Pretoria for assistance.

The WBCG is a public-private partnership established to manage an integrated system of well-maintained tarred roads and rail networks - accommodating all modes of transport - from the port of Walvis Bay via the Trans-Kalahari, Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor, Trans-Cunene and Trans-Oranje Corridors, providing landlocked Southern African Development Community countries access to transatlantic markets.

The WBCG is mainly engaged in business development activities aimed at increasing cargo for the ports and corridors linked to it. - email: matthew@namibian.com.na