Retired farmer and family survive hijacking and robbery on N3
Govender said they were held up and maltreated for nearly two hours before the bandits drove away with their vehicle and all their possessions.
A retired Port Shepstone farmer and four members of his family are counting their blessings after being hijacked and robbed of all their possessions while driving to Johannesburg a fortnight ago.
Raj Govender, his wife, daughter, sister-in-law and seven-year-old grandson were waylaid between Villiers and Balfour on the evening of Thursday, January 27.
Govender of Band Farm in Port Shepstone said the incident took place at about 20:20 after they were stopped by a vehicle driven by a person in a police uniform.
“We were followed by a vehicle for some distance and then suddenly we heard a loud siren sound from a vehicle with blue lights,” said Govender.
“My daughter, who was driving, pulled off to the side of the road. The man in the police uniform asked my daughter why they were not wearing masks. She told him that we were all family members and she did not think it was a problem.
“The man then asked whether she had a driver’s licence. While she was trying to get the licence from her bag, the man pushed his hands into the car and unlocked the four doors by pressing the central locking.
“Then from nowhere three other armed men jumped into the car and threatened us and cable tied us.”
Govender said the armed men then drove the vehicle to a deserted spot.
“Here we were all tied up and warned that we should co-operate so that nothing would happen to us. We were asked who owned the vehicle, a Toyota Legend 50 and where we got the money to buy such a vehicle.
“We were constantly threatened and assaulted while the men grabbed whatever monies we had and all our possessions, including jewellery and the Thali (holy) chains my wife, and sister-in-law were wearing.
“The men also took the groceries that we were taking with us to Johannesburg for a Kavady prayer. The grocery items were to have been used to prepare lunches for the people attending the Kavady prayer at the Benoni Temple in Johannesburg.
“The armed bandits even took the shoes we were wearing.”
Govender said they were held up and maltreated for nearly two hours before the bandits drove away with their vehicle and all their possessions.
“Suffering from shock and disbelief we then began walking towards the N3. A security vehicle that was driving past stopped and wanted to know what had happened and why we were walking bare footed. After we explained that we had been hijacked and robbed of our vehicle and all our possessions, the security official then assisted us.”
After some time they found their way to the home of their family in Johannesburg and the next day went to report the incident to the police in Johannesburg.
But the police informed them that they had to report the matter at the nearest police station where they were hijacked and robbed.
They drove about 160km to the Grootvlei police station to report the matter. At the police station they were informed that hijacking of motorists and robberies were a common feature on the N3.
“What is really traumatising for us is that we were held up and robbed about 10 months ago on our farm. And now we had to go through a similar incident while driving to Johannesburg.
“It’s now just over two weeks but we have not yet heard anything from the police.”
Govender said he wanted to inform other motorists to be on guard when driving on the N3 to Johannesburg.
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