When pilot Archie Bell takes to the skies, he is entrusted with the lives of dozens of passengers. But this pilot's life, like many of his fellow pilots and staff at Cape Town airport, is in danger.
Lurking on the N2 and roads leading to the airport are brazen criminals who will stop at nothing to rob them.
They drag slabs of concrete and rocks into the road. Drivers either hit the obstacles or have to slow down to navigate around them. This is when the thugs pounce, bricks and knives in hand.
Last month, Bell left the airport at around 10.15pm. It was raining and there was a box in the road, but he spotted it too late and hit the box concealing a concrete slab, which deflated one of his vehicle's tyres.
"Six men started throwing half-bricks at my windows to gain access to the car. Fortunately, I had fitted anti-smash-and-grab strengthening film to my windows and they did not break. I put the vehicle into 4x4 range and managed to outrun the men," said Bell in an e-mail.
After going public, he has been inundated with e-mails from colleagues and friends who had similar experiences.
"In the last couple of weeks, I've heard of at least 10 incidents, but these are only from people I work with. For every one of those there will be seven or eight close calls," said Bell. The latest incident he heard of took place on Thursday.
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