An East London motorist narrowly escaped death yesterday when hijackers allegedly doused his VW Golf in petrol and set it alight while he was still in the vehicle.Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mtati Tana said the drama unfolded in Scenery Park yesterday morning when the driver was allegedly hijacked by three suspects.
The vehicle was driven to the Ncera/Buffalo Pass turn-off on the R72 where petrol was thrown over it before it was set alight with the unidentified driver still inside.
The suspects then allegedly fled the scene, giving the man a chance to escape the locked car. He then alerted police.
“Members of the flying squad were the first on the scene. They reported that the driver was inside the vehicle when the suspects set it alight but that he managed to escape the flaming car on his own,” Tana said.
“He was slightly burned and an ambulance rushed him to a private East London hospital.”
Tana declined to name the driver or say what hospital he was taken to for his safety.
“We as yet have no other details on the matter as the driver is yet to give a full statement to police,” he said.
Tana said a case of hijacking would be opened by police as soon as the victim was discharged from hospital and able to give a statement.
When the Daily Dispatch arrived at the scene yesterday, the burnt out shell of the VW Golf was still on the side of the road.
Hawkers on the side of the road nearby, who would not give their names, said the driver had approached them at around 10am asking for water to put out the flames.
“We saw the smoke coming from that direction and a few minutes later a man came up to us asking for water saying his car was on fire,” one said.
“I gave him a cup of water from my bottle of drinking water.” — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
Hijack victim’s car set alight
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mtati Tana said the drama unfolded in Scenery Park yesterday morning when the driver was allegedly hijacked by three suspects.
The vehicle was driven to the Ncera/Buffalo Pass turn-off on the R72 where petrol was thrown over it before it was set alight with the unidentified driver still inside.
The suspects then allegedly fled the scene, giving the man a chance to escape the locked car. He then alerted police.
“Members of the flying squad were the first on the scene. They reported that the driver was inside the vehicle when the suspects set it alight but that he managed to escape the flaming car on his own,” Tana said.
“He was slightly burned and an ambulance rushed him to a private East London hospital.”
Tana declined to name the driver or say what hospital he was taken to for his safety.
“We as yet have no other details on the matter as the driver is yet to give a full statement to police,” he said.
Tana said a case of hijacking would be opened by police as soon as the victim was discharged from hospital and able to give a statement.
When the Daily Dispatch arrived at the scene yesterday, the burnt out shell of the VW Golf was still on the side of the road.
Hawkers on the side of the road nearby, who would not give their names, said the driver had approached them at around 10am asking for water to put out the flames.
“We saw the smoke coming from that direction and a few minutes later a man came up to us asking for water saying his car was on fire,” one said.
“I gave him a cup of water from my bottle of drinking water.” — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
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