A NELSON Mandela Bay traffic official was lucky to escape with his life yesterday after he was shot in the arm by robbers who sneaked up behind him on Uitenhage Road while he was manning a speed camera.

Police spokesman Inspector Hazel Mqala said the robbers approached two traffic officials from behind while they were manning a temporary speed trap.

“The officers were standing about 10m apart, one watching the trap, the other the oncoming traffic,” she said. “The men attacked, shooting one officer in the arm and holding the other at gunpoint.”

Both officials were held at gunpoint alongside the busy road while the robbers stripped them of their cellphones, wallets and handcuffs.

“They had no firearms, so the robbers fled with only what they could take from the officers’ pockets,” Mqala said.

“The gunmen then escorted the officers to their traffic vehicle and told them to get inside.”

Once the officers were in the vehicle the robbers grabbed the car keys and ran away. “The officers saw the robbers running across the nearby railway line. They then called over the radio for help.

“The wounded officer was taken to Greenacres Hospital and operated on later in the day,” said another traffic officer. “He is in a stable condition but obviously going to stay there over night.”

Municipal spokesman Luncedo Njezula said that he was unable to supply the names of the two officers.