POLOKWANE – The moment when Ola Botha realised that a vehicle belonging to the company she managed had been stolen, her entire career flashed before her eyes.

“I trusted the man whom I believed to be a police officer, and as such, trustworthy. But I had a rude awakening and have since realised the ugly truth is that no one can be trusted,” Botha told Review.

Botha related the rest of her story. On Tuesday, a man dressed in full police uniform made a second visit to Madiba Motors on the corner of Grobler and Church Street. Recognised by her and salesman, Molose Bruce Lebelo, after his first visit, the man told them he was looking for a Volkswagen Polo that he had shown some interest in over the past month.

Lebelo said he had spoken to the man several times telephonically as he called me to make sure that the vehicle was still available and that he could still purchase it. He asked for discount. I told him he would have to be at our offices in person for me to be able to see about arranging discount with the manager (Botha).

“He called again and then showed up saying he was there to buy the car but needed a test drive before he would make a final decision,” Lebelo told Review. Botha arranged the test drive and Lebelo left with the would-be customer in the car for the test drive. Lebelo, who was driving, said he drove the car down Church Street around the block when the man said he would like to drive the car himself and feel what the car was capable of. “We swapped places and the man started driving. He told me to listen to the front wheel as he was hearing a noise there and while I was leaning forward to listen the man took out a pistol and told me to get out of the vehicle as he was now taking it,” Lebelo related his ordeal at the hands of the thief.

Lebelo said all he could think of was to watch where the vehicle was going. He said he ran down the street and saw the vehicle heading in the direction of the N1. “It was just luck that at the next block at the filling station, a police vehicle was waiting for the traffic light to turn green and I banged on the window reporting the car that had been stolen from me,” Lebelo said.

Botha said she was in such a state of shock that she could not think straight, but she managed to give the police the registration number of the vehicle and call her own manager, who at that time happened to be making his way to the N1 in an effort to find the vehicle. “There is never a lot of petrol in the vehicles and I knew that the man would not get very far without having to refuel,” Botha explained.

She said she was contacted by her manager shortly after the theft. He gave her the good news that the thief had stopped just outside the city to refuel the vehicle, and was heading towards Mokopane.

“A few minutes later the vehicle was stopped and the man was arrested. I could not believe my ears. The police kept me in the loop throughout the entire incident and I would like to thank them for their assistance,” Botha said.

Polokwane police spokesperson, Capt Ntobeng Phala, confirmed that a police reservist from Mpumalanga was arrested in connection with the case and was facing charges of being in possession of a stolen vehicle and of hijacking.

He would appear in the Polokwane magistrate’s court soon, Phala added. Botha said she was told that the vehicle could be collected be returned to the company.

Lebelo said he never thought a police officer could not be trusted, especially when he was dressed in uniform.

“But I am glad that I am able to tell the story and did not become another crime statistic by being shot.

Hijacking drama: A race for her life

Attempted hijacking drama