A Mitchells Plain oupa and his family say they are lucky to be alive after coming under attack by a group of thugs after they got stuck on the R300 highway during load shedding.
Sulyman Stellenboom, 60, says he got a skrik when skelms, brandishing knives and guns, stabbed him in the leg as they demanded valuables during the attack on Friday night.
“My family and I were on our way to my mother-in-law in Bellville South just after 8pm. We were on the R300 when the accelerator cable snapped just before the split by the N2 off-ramp.”
Stellenboom says he pulled over quickly and told his wife to move to the backseat so he could repair the cable.
“It was load shedding and the area was dark. I told my wife to get in the backseat with the children so I could lay over the seat using the torch from my cellphone to fix the cable, but they came so quick. The door just flung open and one of them stabbed me in the leg.”
Stellenboom says as he cried out in pain, the skelms held his family at gunpoint and demanded money.
“They just opened the door and stabbed me in the leg. I asked them why are you doing this and they just shouted: ‘Hey, hey, where is the money?’ I told them I don’t have money and they saw my wife’s handbag and they took that and the cellphone and ran away.”
Stellenboom says his son spotted a police vehicle coming on and ran onto the highway to stop the van.
“He was so traumatised, he just saw blue lights and ran towards the highway so they could stop. The cars started stopping and I was able to get a phone to call a friend to help me tow the car home.
“Once my family and the car were safe I went to Mitchells Plain Day Hospital to get medical treatment as the blood was just flowing and flowing. I reported it to Mitchells Plain SAPS.”
Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi confirms: “The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation and has been registered by Mitchells Plain SAPS. However, the incident is part of a policing precinct that is being cared for by Mfuleni SAPS for further investigation.”
Stellenboom says motorists using the dangerous pad must be alert and be on the lookout for marauding skelms.