Horror hijacking: ANC staffer left for dead!

AN ANC staffer at Luthuli House is still reeling in shock after a traumatic hijacking incident.

The man was on his way to collect laundry in Cosmo City, north of Joburg on Tuesday night, 11 February, when armed tsotsis appeared from nowhere and pointed a gun at him.

Kidnapped and driven around

According to a source close to the victim, the staffer was bundled into his car, and thugs drove away with him.

"It was about 8pm when he went to collect his laundry. He had taken it there because he was preparing to go to Cape Town for the State of the Nation Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

"In a flash, the gunmen appeared and forced him into his car," said the source.

The source told Daily Sun that they drove around with him while busy withdrawing money from his bank accounts.

"He said he couldn't remember how many hours the whole incident took because he was severely beaten with an iron rod, and the thugs sprayed his face with some gel so he couldn't see who they were and where he was."

The source said the hijackers cleaned his personal and business bank accounts.

He said they withdrew R8 000 from the victim's personal account and an undisclosed amount from his business account.

They also took his phone and clothes.

After driving with him the whole night, he was dumped and left for dead in Klipspruit, Soweto.

"He couldn't move because of the beating on his heaps. He also couldn't see because of the gel they sprayed in his eyes. He was helpless.

"Luckily, a homeless man spotted him and helped take him to Kliptown Police Station," added the source.

Another source said the incident has left the ANC employee traumatised.

Ongoing trauma and recovery

He said he was recovering at home.

The source said: "He is traumatised because not only did they beat him up, but they also shot at him as they were letting him go. He sleeps on tablets. He gets nightmares as it is the first time he has been shot at. His daughter is also affected by this, and they've decided to remove her from school, and she's attending classes online. It's painful.

"When he is on medication, he tries to walk, but once the medication starts wearing off, the pain comes in, and he struggles to walk. His eyes are still painful, and he can barely see."

His car, a rented VW Polo, was found on Wednesday burnt into ashes in Klipspruit.

It's unclear if the car was stripped before being set alight.

A case was opened at Cosmo City cop shop on Wednesday, 12 February.

The police comment will be added when received.