An American tourist, who had just landed at Cape Town International Airport, was shot in the face after taking a wrong turn into Nyanga.
Walter Fischel, 55, had arrived in the city on Friday and hired a vehicle to go to Simon’s Town.
However, the navigation system in the car directed him to go through Nyanga, one of the most dangerous townships in the country.
Fischel was robbed and shot in the face. According to reports, he had to have surgery to his face and lost several teeth.
It is believed that Fischel, who is from Connecticut, was was visiting friends in Cape Town for two weeks before heading to Thailand.
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed the incident happened on Friday, at about 3pm in the Nyanga area.
He says: “The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation. Motive is robbery. He was robbed of his personal belongings, documents and clothing.
“A case of attempted murder and robbery with a firearm was registered at Mowbray [he was transferred to a medical facility which falls under Mowbray Police Precinct], and will be transferred to Nyanga for further investigation.”
Van Wyk said no arrests have been made yet, adding: “Further investigation will be by the Provincial Detectives Serious and Violent Crimes.”
Nyanga Community policing forum Dumisani Qwebe said the shooting happened near the busy bus and taxi
“He managed to get to Nyanga Police Station, what is important is that he survived.”
The US travel advisory issued a warning to tourists on Saturday, warning that GPS navigation could lead to unsafe routes.
It said short cuts through townships may be the quickest route but can lead to increased risks of crime.
It advised tourists to stay on major highways, and avoid reliance on GPS navigation apps.
Google Maps told Independent Media: “We take a wide range of factors into account to deliver the best driving route, including road size, directness, estimated travel time, and fuel efficiency.
“We take driver safety very seriously and encourage drivers to follow local laws, stay attentive, and use their best judgment.”
Today, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis will be joined by Safety and Security Mayco member JP Smith, Law Enforcement operational command, and various partners, including Table Mountain National Park, CIDs, and Neighbourhood Watches to launch the Tourism Safety Plan.
The plan will see a special deployment of enforcement troops to tourism hotspots in the CBD, Bo-Kaap and Table Mountain National Park.