‘He’s my hero!’ – Local woman lauds Avbob employee who came to her rescue during CBD robbery

An Avbob employee, Mr Rias Matlala, came to the rescue of a woman in front of the funeral parlour in John Magagula Street on Thursday when two robbers attacked her while she was busy loading groceries into her car.

Gerhard Rheeder

January 4, 2019

Avbob employee Mr Rias Matlala, who fended off two robbers with brute strenght on Thursday, after the men attacked a helpless woman in john Magagula street.

Ms Ashleigh van Rooyen says Mr Matlala deserves a medal for bravery, adding that Middelburg needs more men like him to curb the wave of crime in the CBD.
Ms Van Rooyen visited Shoprite with her mom Hazel around 14:00 on Thursday.

While mom Hazel remained in the shop, Ms Van Rooyen left with the trolley full of groceries to load the bags in the car.
As soon as she exited two men accosted her, spurring Mr Matlala to intervene.

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“The robbers were pushing me around but before they could inflict any damage, Mr Matlala was on top of them, fighting them off me,” Ms Van Rooyen says.
One of the robbers immediately fled while his accomplice was locked in a wrestling match with Mr Matlala.

Mr Matlala succeeded in dragging the robber into Avbob but before he could lock the security gate, the robber broke loose and made a run for it.

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After the attack Mr Matlala assisted Ms Van Rooyen to gather her groceries which was scattered around the car, and loaded the bags into the vehicle.

“I want to thank this kind man from the bottom of my heart for his bravery, Mr Matlala you are my hero!” Ms Van Rooyen says.
She says she was glad that her elderly mother was not present to witness the attack.