Lovers kidnapped, raped and shot

Kimberley - A man is fighting for his life after he was shot five times and his female friend kidnapped and raped by a hijacker at Kimberley’s infamous “lovers’ spot” on the road to Barkly West.

The man’s family members on Monday told the DFA that he was shot twice in the face, once in his shoulder and twice in his chest.

The incident, which happened on Sunday, is one of several in a strip of veld where gang members are apparently targeting couples making out in their vehicles.

“My uncle is still in ICU in the Kimberley Hospital. Doctors had to remove his left eye because of one of the bullets. One of the bullets is still stuck on his spinal cord,” the man’s niece said.

Northern Cape police spokeswoman, Colonel Priscilla Naidu, on Monday explained that before the incident, the male victim, who turned 30 on Monday, met the 27-year-old woman, at a tavern in Galeshewe before driving with her to the “lovers’ spot”.

“While they were busy outside the car, an unknown armed person approached them and fired several shots at the man. The suspect then allegedly raped the woman and forced her into the vehicle and drove off in the direction of Bloemfontein,” Naidu said.

According to the police, while on the road to Bloemfontein, the woman was again allegedly raped by the attacker.

“The vehicle apparently experienced mechanical problems close to Petrusburg, but the suspect managed to drive to a petrol station in the town where he gave two hitchhikers (a man and a woman) a lift. The suspect also took money from the hitchhikers to put petrol into the vehicle,” Naidu added.

When the vehicle stalled again, the woman, who was allegedly raped, managed to escaped when the hitchhikers got out off the vehicle.

“The woman and the hitchhikers managed to get another lift to Bloemfontein and she then told them what had happened. They contacted the police in Galeshewe regarding the injured man,” Naidu said. She added that the incident was reported at a police station in Bloemfontein at about 6am on Sunday morning.

“When police arrived at the spot where the vehicle stalled, the suspect was already gone. The vehicle was recovered while cellphones belonging to the injured man are still missing,” Naidu said.

On Monday the father of the man who was shot, expressed anger and sadness at the incident.

“It is a tragic incident but it was also reckless for my son to have done what he did. He could have died and that car is not even his. It belongs to his girlfriend, with whom he has a two-week-old baby. We have more questions than answers and until my son wakes up in hospital and explains exactly happened, we will remain unsure of the true facts,” he said.

He added that the woman who was with his son at the time of the incident, might have more information about what exactly transpired.

Naidu said that the police were investigating a case of hijacking, attempted murder and rape.

She warned city residents to stay clear of the “lovers’ den” – an open piece of veld on the Barkly Road close to Lerato Park – as Sunday’s incident was the third so far this year.

In the past few months members of a panga-wielding gang targeted couples looking for a deserted spot, turning their night of passion into one of terror by smashing windows before robbing them.

Naidu said that although the police had managed to arrest several suspects linked to two previous incidents, they were yet to arrest the suspect linked to Sunday’s incident.

The Northern Cape Department of Health is still waiting for a response from the hospital regarding the man’s medical condition.

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