Canadian CEO Vows to Never Return to SA Amidst Rising Crime Rates
Ava Bailey - Traumatised CEO Sean Stephens cuts short his South African holiday, hastily returning to his Canadian offices in New Market
- Stephens wrestles with the haunting memory as the fake officers turned hostile during the unsettling incident
- He tallies up losses, estimating around $17,000 from ATM withdrawals and stolen items
Source: Getty Images
Traumatised CEO Sean Stephens abruptly ends his South African holiday, rushing back to his Canadian offices in New Market.
Originally intended as a picturesque adventure exploring cultural wonders with his teenage children, the trip turned into a harrowing four-hour ordeal when fake police officers stopped him in Mbombela.
According to eNCA, Stephens struggles to erase the nightmare from his memory as the bogus officers turned aggressive during the disturbing incident.
Forced into the cramped back of a Ford Ranger, Stephens, his children, and a family friend were driven to three towns by the attackers, making stops at various ATMs before being released in Masoyi.
Despite feeling the warmth of South Africa and its people, Stephens has decided not to return, expressing concerns for his mother who is involved in aid work in Mpumalanga.
He recounts losses totalling an estimated $17,000 from ATM withdrawals and stolen belongings.
Police have assured him of their relentless pursuit of the perpetrators since his return to Canada.
Rising concerns: Escalating crimes against tourists
The surge in crimes against tourists in South Africa has prompted numerous countries to issue travel warnings to their citizens intending to visit the nation. Over the past few months, several tourists have become victims of various criminal activities.
Son harms father, fatally stabs grandfather
In other news, Briefly News reported that in a tragic incident in Lotusville, Verulam, a 20-year-old man allegedly stabbed his grandfather to death and injured his father. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda stated that the altercation occurred during heavy rains as the suspect and his father worked together to prevent water from entering their home on Trevonon Road.
As tensions rose, the grandfather intervened, leading to the 20-year-old allegedly grabbing a knife and stabbing both his father and grandfather.
