A Mitchells Plain dad was left traumatised after he and other shoppers were held hostage by a group of masked men during a robbery at Pick 'n Pay in Maitland on Friday.
The 39-year-old man, who asked not to be named, says he got the fright of his life as shoppers ran for their lives when the heavily armed men stormed into the store.
“It was about 8am, I went into the shop to get some stuff for the office like coffee and tea when it happened,” he says.
“I was standing in the aisle and talking to the receptionist at work to ask her what we need when the mense started shouting that the shop is being robbed. It was chaos. I just saw guys with big guns come in and they made everyone lie on the floor and I just ran.
“Some people even wanted to hide in the fridges and I was like, ‘no you are going to freeze to death’ and we ended up in the storeroom.
“I quickly texted my wife and the receptionist and told them to phone the police, and put my phone off.
“While we were standing in the storeroom, one of the skelms came and told us if we dare phone the police, they will shoot our brains out. I was so scared.
“Then they said it was all over and they came for Sassa payout money because it was pension day. We also heard they smacked a cashier.”
TARGETED: Pick 'n Pay Maitland
Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana confirms that Maitland SAPS are investigating a business robbery.
“Six armed men entered the premises and threatened the employees and robbed the store of an undisclosed amount of cash, they fled the scene in a white Toyota Yaris,” she says.
“There are no arrests.”
Pick 'n Pay spokesperson Janine Caradonna says: “While obviously shaken, the cashier wasn’t hurt and received trauma counselling with the other staff members. She is resting at home this weekend.
“SAPS is investigating the incident and we will provide every assistance to them”.