Two armed would-be robbers were shot and wounded during their heist attempt at a Buffalo Street wholesale store in East London yesterday.
The two are fighting for their lives in hospital under police guard after they were shot by sweet shop owner Siyanda during a heavy exchange of gunfire yesterday.
A third accomplice ran for his life and police are still looking for him.
The drama sprang at the densely populated market spot known as Emthini, sending street vendors, hawkers and customers fleeing for cover shortly as gunshots rang through the CBD late yesterday.
Vendors and storeowners alike raised fears of losing trade, saying their customers were becoming wary as the market has been the scene of an increasing number of dangerous incidents.
Siyanda, who owns a sweets and chips store, said he had just got into his Nissan NP 200 bakkie to transport his business takings to the bank when three men started shooting at him.
“I got out of the bakkie and shot back. I can't remember how many shots I fired but I hit two of them. One of them ran away.”
Siyanda said he abandoned the car and took cover near his shop.
The two wounded suspects got inside his bakkie but could not start it. Police found them lying in the cab in pools of blood and rushed them to hospital.
“I am targeted by criminals and I am living in fear here. I am fed up with these criminals and that is why I decided to fight fire with fire,” said Siyanda.
This was the second attempted robbery in seven days, he said, adding he had been just as lucky on Monday to escape unharmed, let alone with his takings intact, when some alleged thugs in a Toyota Tazz tried to force his bakkie off the road as he was on his way to deposit cash.
“It was a high-speed chase and they tried to drive me off the road but I refused to stop.”
Siyanda said he went through red traffic lights at the busy intersection of Buffalo Park Drive and North East Expressway. In business since 2008, he said he had been robbed “countless” times.
The shop is at a busy centre which houses multiple mini-supermarkets along Buffalo Street. Another businessman who operates next to Siyanda’s shop said he closed his doors when gunshots rang out.
“We are clearly a target here, these dramatic scenes and gunshots happen almost every month. It is not good for business,” he said.
“Customers will go elsewhere because they are scared.”
Mohammed Ahmed, who witnessed the incident, said he heard more than six gunshots.
When he left the shop he was in to see what was happening he saw a gunman running down Buffalo Street. “Two of them had the owners’ car keys, and they got inside the bakkie but could not start it as they were wounded. The police came and took them. The owner thought they were dead,” he said.
Police spokesman Captain Nkosikho Mzuku said a case of armed robbery and attempted murder were under investigation.
“Two men in their 30s were rushed to hospital for medical attention. The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are still unclear. The investigation continues.” — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
2 shot as heist goes badly wrong
The two are fighting for their lives in hospital under police guard after they were shot by sweet shop owner Siyanda during a heavy exchange of gunfire yesterday.
A third accomplice ran for his life and police are still looking for him.
The drama sprang at the densely populated market spot known as Emthini, sending street vendors, hawkers and customers fleeing for cover shortly as gunshots rang through the CBD late yesterday.
Vendors and storeowners alike raised fears of losing trade, saying their customers were becoming wary as the market has been the scene of an increasing number of dangerous incidents.
Siyanda, who owns a sweets and chips store, said he had just got into his Nissan NP 200 bakkie to transport his business takings to the bank when three men started shooting at him.
“I got out of the bakkie and shot back. I can't remember how many shots I fired but I hit two of them. One of them ran away.”
Siyanda said he abandoned the car and took cover near his shop.
The two wounded suspects got inside his bakkie but could not start it. Police found them lying in the cab in pools of blood and rushed them to hospital.
“I am targeted by criminals and I am living in fear here. I am fed up with these criminals and that is why I decided to fight fire with fire,” said Siyanda.
This was the second attempted robbery in seven days, he said, adding he had been just as lucky on Monday to escape unharmed, let alone with his takings intact, when some alleged thugs in a Toyota Tazz tried to force his bakkie off the road as he was on his way to deposit cash.
“It was a high-speed chase and they tried to drive me off the road but I refused to stop.”
Siyanda said he went through red traffic lights at the busy intersection of Buffalo Park Drive and North East Expressway. In business since 2008, he said he had been robbed “countless” times.
The shop is at a busy centre which houses multiple mini-supermarkets along Buffalo Street. Another businessman who operates next to Siyanda’s shop said he closed his doors when gunshots rang out.
“We are clearly a target here, these dramatic scenes and gunshots happen almost every month. It is not good for business,” he said.
“Customers will go elsewhere because they are scared.”
Mohammed Ahmed, who witnessed the incident, said he heard more than six gunshots.
When he left the shop he was in to see what was happening he saw a gunman running down Buffalo Street. “Two of them had the owners’ car keys, and they got inside the bakkie but could not start it as they were wounded. The police came and took them. The owner thought they were dead,” he said.
Police spokesman Captain Nkosikho Mzuku said a case of armed robbery and attempted murder were under investigation.
“Two men in their 30s were rushed to hospital for medical attention. The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are still unclear. The investigation continues.” — malibongwed@dispatch.co.za
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