‘Hijackers were watching us’

“NEVER take anything granted.”

This lesson was harshly learnt by co-workers Subashini Naidoo and Omesh Madanjith after they were hijacked and shot at, at the White House Shopping Complex in Phoenix on Friday morning.

Naidoo, 48, from Verulam, had parked her Toyota Corolla at the complex and travelled with Madanjith.

“As I drove into the complex I parked opposite Madanjith. I opened my car door slightly and bent down towards the front passenger seat to pick up my hand bag. As I stepped out of my vehicle all I could see was this firearm being pointed in my face and then I heard a deep voice telling me to get out of the

for vehicle,” she told POST.

Naidoo said she was terrified but tried her best to stay calm.

“I left all my belongings in the car and walked toward the boot. The hijacker jumped into the driver’s seat, ready to drive off.”

When Naidoo walked away from the car, she saw that her hijacker’s accomplice had a gun held against Madanjith’s window, threatening to shoot him through the glass.

“When the hijacker saw me, he ran towards my car. As he was coming to me I ran towards Omesh’s vehicle and quickly jumped into the back seat. The hijacker then opened fire on us.”

Naidoo said they were both in shock and froze.

“We could not move, we did not even hide because we were so shocked. We are lucky we were not harmed. He eventually stopped shooting at us and they fled the scene. We drove to the police station for help.”

Naidoo said she could not understand why they were shot at.

“I was cooperative. There was no need to shoot at us. We are just thankful to God that we survived the attack.”

Naidoo said she believed they were being watched before the attack: “These men knew exactly what they were doing and we took it for granted that we were safe. From this experience I have learnt to be more vigilant.”

She said she and Madanjith were still shaken from the incident and would be going for counselling.

Police spokesman Major Thulani Zwane said a case of carjacking was being investigated by Phoenix police.

No arrests have been made.