PRETORIA: Well-known actor Tumisho Masha is still reeling in shock after he survived a five-hour hijacking ordeal.
The hijacking is said to have taken place while the actor was travelling from Soshanguve to Johannesburg after visiting friends and family in the area on Sunday evening.
Masha, who has acted in Isidingo and Scandal, was apparently stopped by the hijackers at around 10pm, thrown into the boot of his car and driven around for hours while the hijackers tried to locate the car’s tracking device.
“I am still in shock as we speak and traumatised by what happened. It all happened so fast and it only dawned on me while I had a gun held to my face that it was a hijacking and I had to fully co-operate in order to live,” said Masha.
Masha was released at 2.45am yesterday and opened up a case of hijacking with the Soshanguve police.
“I realise that I am not the first to be hijacked, nor will I be the last, but we cannot allow society to be held at ransom by thugs in our communities.
"I urge members of our communities to please report any suspicious activities to the police so that we can rid our communities of crime and be able to walk or drive freely without fear.
"A big problem that exacerbates the scourge of crime in townships is the lack of employment and business opportunities for the youth,” he said.
Masha's manager and spokesperson, Oscar Tshifure, said the exact details surrounding the hijacking were still unclear as Masha was still shaken by the ordeal.
“He is still quite shaken up and sustained a few cuts and bruises from being shoved into the boot forcefully.
"The details on where he was picked up and how many hijackers were there are still unclear, but we will speak to him once he has calmed down,” said Tshifure.
Police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubela confirmed that a case of hijacking had been opened with the police after he was hijacked in Soshanguve.
“The actor was driven around and eventually released in Johannesburg. We don’t know how many suspects there were at the moment,” he said.