A Sherwood hairstylist was more than surprised by the kindness and bravery shown by two strangers in traffic after a traumatic smash and grab ordeal last Thursday morning.
According to Clisina Scott, heavy showers had caused morning traffic to back up as she made her way from Amanzimtoti, to her place of work in Sherwood. She took the Mary Thiphe (Cato Manor) Road to get to work. “My daughter, Jo-Anne was with me and just called her work colleagues to let them know the route was completely backed-up. She was putting her cellphone into her bag when we heard what sounded like an explosion and her window glass shattered. I was so worried about my daughter because this man just grabbed her handbag and ran,” she explained.
Scott was shocked but tried to hold onto the handbag for a split second before her daughter pushed her hand off and told her to let them take it. “We were shocked and shaking and I recall the people behind us were old and looked helpless and mortified too. There was nothing we could do and I was driving off when a taxi cut me off and shouted to tell me to turn around because there were guys chasing the man,” she said.
“I couldn’t believe it when the two men came back with the bag. I was so shook up and the one man held my hand and constantly asked if I was okay to drive. Once the reality set in that we got the handbag back with everything in it I couldn’t thank the guys enough. I wanted to give them some money but I didn’t have any on me, we never carry cash, but my husband called them to arrange to reward them.”
The two modest heroes, Sandile Mazibuko and Sipho Mkhize, were on their way to a job at Howard College when they noticed the smash and grab five cars ahead in traffic. “I saw the man hit the window and grab a red bag so I asked Sipho to come with me and get him. We didn’t know who he had robbed or whether he had a weapon, but knew he’d done something wrong and decided not to let him get away with it,” said Mazibuko.
The duo left their company vehicle in traffic and ran after the man who fled towards the informal settlement in Cato Manor. “He fell in a ditch and realised we were very close so left the bag there and disappeared,” he added.
The two say they are not heroes, “God is the real hero, because of him we were in traffic and gave us the strength to chase the man. We just don’t like to see people doing wrong and innocent ones getting robbed. This could happen to anyone even our wives and daughters so I hope others will do the same for my family if they are in that situation,” he added.
