A minor incident in South Africa

[Hypocolius]

I got this email from my brother in Johannesburg a couple of days ago. I don't really know why I'm sharing it with you guys, but, here goes.

Just to let you know I suppose, I had a rather unfortunate run in with the criminal element this weekend. I stopped at my local supermarket / petrol station / bottle store at 13h30 on Saturday afternoon to buy a few beers. As I walked into the bottle store I was immediately attacked by an armed robber who proceeded to hit me in the face with a 9mm pistol. Blundering / recoiling out of the bottle store I tried to run away only to be cornered by two other armed robbers who instructed me that I should go into the supermarket, and who both pistol whipped me to reiterate their point. The supermarket was already in the control of the other 3 armed robbers in this gang of 6. Forced to lie face down, kicked around a bit and robbed of my Cell phone, wallet and car keys. Then instructed me to crawl to the back of the supermarket, here to find about 25 other poor people in the wrong place at the wrong time. Here we lay most people bleeding from similar pistol whipping injuries. ( I got away lighter than most thanks to my trusty leather bush hat protecting me a bit). At this point a gun battle ensued between the six robbers and an already injured shop owner who obviously had a gun hidden. Lying face down whilst the gun battle proceeded over our heads is somewhat of an eye-opening experience and one I do not recommend. The robbers fled pursued by the owner, now with a shotgun. A few minutes passed as people realised the gang had fled and saw to their injuries and lost personal effects. A car park full of cars and no keys between any of us !!The owner returned quickly having caught 1 of the 6, now in the boot of his car! Hyenas have nothing on what now transpired as 25 very scared and hurt people attacked with relish the sad bugger in the boot of the car. The police arrived and dispersed the blood thirsty crowd with a few volleys of their own weapons. Lucky for me I have spare car keys and Renate came and brought them to me.The rest of the day was spent making police reports, getting cleaned up and cancelling the bank cards cell phone etc. Needless to say I am glad to be alive if a little sore and bruised for my troubles. It is just beginning to sink in now I guess and the realisation that ............... well things could have been quite different !!
I don't particularly want this thread to turn into a pro, or anti gun thread, nor do I want to slag-off South Africa, but.... man it's f*cked up down there.

[Jon_in_london]

Originally posted by Hypocolius
I don't particularly want this thread to turn into a pro, or anti gun thread, nor do I want to slag-off South Africa, but.... man it's f*cked up down there.

Ayy-up.

In my last 8 months there, I had my wallet stolen from my flat twice, my girlfriends camera too, car stolen and foiled a break-in by three armed (with clubs and machetes) men.

Luckily none of this involved any violence.

What really disturbs me about crime in SA is not the high incidence (although thats bad enough) but the sheer unnecesary and unadulterated cruelty it so often involves.

[JAR]

I'm glad I don't live in South Africa. My older brother's college room-mate is a white guy from South Africa and he told my older brother that there is no opportunity for a person there who isn't a black lesbian quadripallegic.

[Hypocolius]

Originally posted by Jon_in_london


What really disturbs me about crime in SA is not the high incidence (although thats bad enough) but the sheer unnecesary and unadulterated cruelty it so often involves.

Absolutely. In the above incident my bro feels that the violence was less than it usually is (no-one was murdered) because the robbers were Zimbabwean. The current rumours going aroung JHB are that it's better to get done by a Zimbo as he's less likely to kill you. Urban legend probably.

A friend was shot just before I left SA to come here. Three guys had come into his house, through the French windows, while he was watching telly with his girlfriend. Hands up all round, of course, and say bye-bye to all the electrical goods etc, but no violence offered to either of them (his first, and main fear). Until they came to leave. As the last of our three affirmative shoppers was leaving, almost as an afterthought, he shot my friend in the knee. We assume this was to either; prevent him from going for any weapons he might have hidden, to force them to delay calls to the cops while they phoned for an ambulance, or because he was just a bad b*stard, take your pick.

[TruthSeeker]

What a terrifying story!

I'm glad your brother will be ok.

[svero]

I just finished reading Paul Theroux's book "Dark Star Safari" which is about his travels through Africa including SA. I recommend it. It's very interesting. Africa sure is messed up. The book is a little depressing but always pretty witty. He travels from Cairo to SA by foot, bus, car and train in places like Sudan, Uganda, Malawi, etc...

[The Don]

Originally posted by JAR
I'm glad I don't live in South Africa. My older brother's college room-mate is a white guy from South Africa and he told my older brother that there is no opportunity for a person there who isn't a black lesbian quadripallegic.

Absolutely, a disaffected ex-patriate is always the most reliable source for unbiased information about a country. Certainly the South Africans I know who fit that particular bill are quite vociferous that the place has gone to the dogs.

A less biased view would be that the only people for whom the new South Africa is working is "old money" and "friends of the regime"

Plus ca change ?

[Jon_in_london]

Originally posted by The Don

A less biased view would be that the only people for whom the new South Africa is working is "old money" and "friends of the regime"

Plus ca change ?

Have you ever thought of getting a job hitting nails on their heads? You might be quite good at it.........

[Ed]

Originally posted by Jon_in_london


... foiled a break-in by three armed (with clubs and machetes) men.

Luckily none of this involved any violence.




?

[richardm]

Originally posted by Ed



?

Presumably they had the weapons but didn't use them...

[Ed]

Originally posted by richardm


Presumably they had the weapons but didn't use them...

Goodness gracious. There are some that would define certain forms of speech as violence let alone brandishing weapons.

[Hypocolius]

Originally posted by Ed


Goodness gracious. There are some that would define certain forms of speech as violence let alone brandishing weapons.

Wheras is South Africa these days if you get away from being robbed without being shot it's considered to be a good result. Being done without violence of any kind is almost not worth mentioning really.

[Jon_in_london]

Originally posted by Ed

?

I shouted something at them in my loudest baritone, they ran for it (I dont think they were expecting anybody to be home).

The obscenity is stronger than the sword! :p