‘I cried for hours’

POLOKWANE – Overwhelmed by mixed emotions, Christo de Klerk said he broke down and cried for hours after he and a colleague were attacked by armed robbers last Monday evening.

De Klerk and his colleague, who both work for a drilling company, were on their way home from a site in Lebowakgomo when the incident occured.

“When the robbers were busy assaulting me, all I could think of was my wife and children and that I had to make it out of the situation alive so that I can see them and hold them tight in my arms again,” De Klerk said.

De Klerk had a large sum of money on him at the time of the incident, which he was going to deposit at the bank, but he never got the chance. “It is almost as if the robbery was planned, they knew we had money on us, because that was the first thing they demanded when they finally stopped us after a long chase.

“The nightmare started about 2km after the Zebiedela and Kuschke intersection. I noticed a blue BMW without number plates and tinted windows following us. I reduced speed, but the vehicle kept following us. I immediately suspected something was wrong and called my boss to report what was going on. He advised me not to stop. My boss lives a few kilometres from where we were and he said he was on his way to assist us,” De Klerk said.

According to the father of three, there were three passengers in the BMW. “The driver of the BMW pulled up next to us and one of the passengers pointed a firearm at us, demanding that we pull over. I bumped the vehicle on the side and sped off. But the BMW was on our tail. While I was talking to my boss on the phone, one of the passengers shot at us, I braked and the shot went past our vehicle,” he added.

He said they continued to drive and a white Opel Kadett approached them.

“The vehicle passed us and I didn’t suspect anything. It was only when it pulled in front of us and started driving slowly that I realised something was wrong. The BMW pulled up behind us and the two vehicles tried to force me off the road, but I continued to drive and refused to stop. They managed to force me off the road at Bergnek.”

According to De Klerk, three of the robbers were armed with firearms and one with a knife.

“They pulled us out of the vehicle and assaulted us. They threw me face down on the ground and hit and kicked me. My colleague was also manhandled. They also smashed our cellphones.”

He said he managed to break loose during the assault and hit one of the robbers, but one of the other robbers hit him with a firearm on the head and he lost consciousness.

He added that after the beating, the robbers forced him and his colleague under the vehicle they were travelling in and left them there.

The robbers fled the scene in the direction of Zebiedela with an undisclosed amount of money.

“My boss arrived not long after they left, but there was no trace of the robbers. Farmers from the Bergnek area also arrived to help after my boss called them for assistance,” he said.

De Klerk said the reality of what happened only hit him when he arrived home and saw his wife and children. “I went into the bathroom and cried. That night and a few nights thereafter, I had nightmares, but now it is better. My colleague and I sustained head injuries due to the blows with the firearms. We also have some bruises on our bodies. I also injured my shoulder, hand and ribs.”

De Klerk advised motorists to always be alert when driving.

“Make sure no one is following you, if you suspect something is wrong, drive to the nearest police station. Do not stop or slow down for anyone. As you drive to the nearest police station, call the police and alert them of your situation and if the vehicle has a number plate, report it to the police,” he advised.

Capt Mohlaka Mashiane, Westenburg police spokesperson, confirmed that the Westenburg police were investigating a case of armed robbery. No arrests have been made yet. Anyone with information can contact the Westenburg police station at (015) 292 9410/15.