‘I AM afraid and my whole livelihood has gone with my car.
‘ I am unemployed and can’t provide for my family. We don’t even have food. I look over my shoulder all the time and I still have the bruises of the attack on my body.’
A taxi driver who was violently robbed of his vehicle and escaped his attackers by running into the sea, will tell the Richards Bay Regional Court how the hijacking near the Bay Hall in July last year impacted his entire existence.
A Victim Impact Statement will be tendered as part of his evidence in the trial, which commenced on Thursday.
Three men robbed him of his Toyota Avanza, but later rolled the car following a high speed police chase.
The 29-year-old father agreed to speak to the Zululand Observer on condition that he remain anonymous. While he is relating his story, the tears flow freely.
The men allegedly hired him to pick up a girlfriend near the pool, but later, armed with a gun and a knife, overpowered him and tried to stuff him in the boot of his car.
But he managed to escape and started running into the water, phoning a family member who is also a police officer.
Cst Sipho Nxumalo, Cst Mbatha and Detective Thusi quickly responded to the scene and gave chase, apprehending all three suspects. But, when the car was recovered, it was a write-off.
‘The vehicle is valued at R120 000, but the damage is R60 000. It was not insured. The car was my income and my provision for my family.
‘I am glad to be alive and I am glad they were caught so quickly, but what they have done to my life cannot just be reversed. I am willing to do anything just to work again,’ said the traumatised victim.
‘I feel completely despondent. I just don’t have that kind of money.’
The accused, Junior Riaz Robinson (31), Eugene Jeffrey Dunn (25) and Darryl Jeffrey Strydom (28) are all in custody, charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances and acting in common purpose to rob the complainant with a knife and a firearm.
The trial is presided over by Regional Court Magistrate K Moodley, with Regional Court Prosecutor Active Njakazi appearing for the State. The accused are all represented by Mr Ndlovu.
