US Tourist Falls Victim to Costly GPS Error, Shot in Dangerous South African Township – News18

US tourist Walter Fischel was “shot in the face” in a perilous South African township after his GPS directed him through the crime-ridden Nyanga area. The incident occurred less than an hour after the 55-year-old American’s arrival in Cape Town from the US state of Connecticut, the UK-based Sun reported.

Unaware of the navigation system’s costly error to avoid a traffic jam on the way to Hermanus, a whale-watching tourist town, Fischel entered Nyanga, infamous for its high crime rates. As Fischel navigated the town, a gang of four men, likely following him from Cape Town International Airport, ambushed him.

In a struggle, Fischel attempted to grab the attacker’s pistol but was shot in the face and forcibly removed from the vehicle. Bleeding and injured, he managed to crawl to the rear of his car, retrieve his travel bag, and attempt to escape. However, the gang caught up, snatched his bag, and subjected him to a beating.

“Four men who seemed to be waiting opened the doors, and I got shot in the face,” Fischel was quoted as saying by the UK newspaper. He expressed his shock, saying, “I’m lucky to be here. I’m angry I didn’t see it coming, you know the ordeal.” Doctors at the initial hospital were ill-equipped to address his injuries, prompting a transfer to another facility. Trauma surgeon Denis Allard pointed to the severity of Fischel’s injuries, including a shattered jaw and multiple teeth loss, requiring securing his airways due to severe bleeding.

South Africa, known for its high crime rates, witnesses nearly 80 murders and 120 rapes daily, primarily in impoverished areas and townships, according to Sun. Nyanga, deemed the murder capital of the nation, grapples with rampant gang violence, overwhelming local law enforcement, the newspaper adds. “We have a specialist team tracking down this responsible for the attempted murder and robbery of an American tourist and are following up strong leads,” a South African Police spokesperson said.

Fischel, planning to return to the US once discharged, stressed the need for warnings in areas close to the airport, cautioning fellow tourists about potential dangers. This incident echoes the tragic death of British surgeon Kar Thao Teoh, shot dead in Nyanga after his GPS diverted him off the N2 motorway in August.