Armed robbery at Radio Mafisa

Rustenburg – During the late-night hours of Tuesday, 30 January, when radio presenter Tsholofelo Tshukutswane was presenting her show from 22h00 until 02h00, was caught off-guard by a group of three men armed with knives.

In studio, Tshukutswane was presenting her show when the station’s security guard entered the studio and told her that she had visitors. The unsuspecting Tshukutswane was suddenly surprised by three armed men who entered the studio along with the security guard. 

Tshukutswane was overpowered, blindfolded and tied up by the suspects. The armed suspects raided the premises taking eight computers, four plasma TVs, a sound mixer and a box full of branded football jerseys and socks. 

The suspects fled the scene along with the security guard. 

Tshukutswane was left unharmed and managed to untie herself. The alarm was raised when the presenter of the following show came to the studio to relieve Tshukutswane. The security guard was nowhere to be found on the premises.

“We are grateful that our presenter was not injured in the robbery. We have been on air for the past 22 years and have never experienced anything of this kind before. We were off air for a while but managed to make the necessary arrangements – as the show must go on,” Virtue Fongoma, station manager at Radio Mafisa said in an interview with the Platinum Weekly newspaper. 
“It was a frightening experience; I was alone and extremely afraid. We report on the news and never expect things like this to happen to us,” said Tshukutswane.

Says captain Elsabè Augostides, police spokesperson: “We suspect that the security guard was working in cahoots with the suspects. The investigation is ongoing.”