A truck transporting exotic birds worth R600 000 has been hijacked along the N1, just outside Johannesburg.
The owners of the Welkom-based exporting business says the birds were quarantined for 21 days before they were loaded onto the truck, destined for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) via OR Tambo International Airport.
Piet and Tiekie Venter from Riebeeckstad in Welkom say the truck was loaded with birds including, 124 African Greys, 7 Blue-Fronted Amazon Birds, and 1 Medium Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo.
The driver told them he was hijacked along the N1 on Monday and was left in the middle of Soweto by the hijackers who then made off with the truck full of birds.
Tiekie Venter says they are concerned for the well-being of the birds because only 12 of the African Greys are fully grown, the rest need special care and to be fed.
