An everyday errand to collect a friend’s son in Belladonna Street turned into a nightmarish ordeal for seasoned Lowvelder, Vicky De Freitas on Monday evening.
She had accompanied a friend, Evenska Esterhuizen, to an address in the street at about 19:30, not realising that the pair of them had been followed. The next instant, De Freitas was pinned down in the passenger side of the car they were travelling in, trying to ward off blows inflicted by a would-be hijacker.
“I had not been at the address before and did not anticipate being followed. The next moment, he was in in the driver’s side, trying to grab the car keys and Evenska’s handbag.
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“He was on his knees in the driver’s seat and started grabbing my neck, ostensibly to check whether I was wearing a necklace,” she said.
According to De Freitas, a neighbour witnessed the attack and warned that the attacker was possibly armed.
“He spoke Afrikaans and demanded that I hand over everything,” she said. She explained that the ordeal happened so quickly and that she fought back as he continued punching her in the face. The attack left a livid bruise and her left eye badly swollen.
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“He appeared to be well dressed and wore an Adidas hat and brand name skinny jeans. After the attack, I noticed that his hat and a sock he wore over his fist, was still in the car.”
A case of attempted hijacking was opened at the Nelspuit Police Station, but De Freitas said the police discarded the evidence left at the scene without examining it or keeping it for forensic purposes.
“The police may have obtained DNA evidence from the hat or the sock, which could have assisted in bringing the person to book,” she lamented.
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Lowvelder previously reported on a similar incident along the Kaapsehoop Road in which teenager Akima Hamilton was pepper sprayed in the face by suspects in a white VW Polo.
“My friend, Cindy van Tonder, who is visiting from eMalahleni, experienced a similar incident earlier in the Stonehenge area.
“Fortunately, she noticed the suspect/s’ car and managed to escape,” De Freitas said.
The attacker had straddled her and had been inches away from her face. She said the incident played over in her mind as she lay in bed, adding that she would be able to provide a sketch artist with an accurate description.
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A neighbour had taken a photo of the car allegedly used by the attackers, that De Freitas submitted to Lowvelder. The Nelspruit police spokesperson, Capt Zandile Gqawa, confirmed the incident and said, “Police are investigating a case of robbery with a firearm.
“No arrests have been made yet and anyone with information can contact Det W O Michael Lusiba, on 082-535-1839.”
She added that the getaway car was a white VW Polo TSI and urged the community to be vigilant.
