Family awaits arrests after West Acres ambush
MBOMBELA - A West Acres family is hoping the arrest of the gunmen who had ambushed and shot at two of its members in Protea Crescent on Monday July 18, will be identified and arrested soon.
Two brothers-in-law had narrowly escaped death when at least two gunmen fired about eight times at them as they were arriving home that evening.
The family said they wished to remain anonymous, as the shooters remain at large.
The brothers-in-law had just arrived at the gate of their home at 19:10 when a silver Etios Cross pulled up behind them.
One of the relatives had gotten out of the bakkie to open the gate while the other remained in the bakkie behind the steering wheel. While the man was trying to open the gate, two men exited the Etios with guns and began firing.
The relative in the bakkie immediately put it in reverse and pulled up the street while his brother-in-law ran after him and tried to get back in. As he got to the passenger door, a bullet hit the windscreen and caused shattered glass to cut him in the face. He luckily did not sustain any other injuries during the incident.
The incident was caught on a neighbour’s CCTV, the footage of which has been loaded on the Lowvelder website.
The family said that upon further investigation, they found CCTV footage that showed the Etios had followed the two relatives from the corner of Samora Machel Drive and Bell Street all the way to Protea Crescent.
Securicon Lowveld was at the scene within a matter of minutes, followed shortly by the police.
The family said they had not had feedback from the police since the incident occurred.
A provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli, said a case of attempted hijacking was opened. He said no arrests had been made at this stage, but investigations are ongoing, and the police hope to bring the perpetrators to book.