Durban - A quick-thinking 66-year-old bus driver has managed to avoid being hijacked by turning the tables on his attacker and disarming him.
Police said in a statement that the Phoenix resident drove a bus for a private company contracted to Portnet and on Monday was transporting commuters from Durban to all the railway stations along the route to Kelso on the mid-South Coast.
“At about 1pm, the last remaining passenger on board approached the driver, pointed a 9mm pistol at him, and ordered him to drive to a destination of his choice. The hapless driver got onto the N2 freeway and drove south as instructed,” said police in a statement.
Fearing the worst if he continued, the driver turned into the off-ramp at Hibberdene and got onto the north-bound carriageway, determined to drive back to his bus depot. “This angered the gunman who struck him a sharp blow in the shoulder with the butt of the pistol.
Taking advantage of the situation and using the element of surprise, the driver slammed hard on his brakes, sending the suspect sprawling.”
Leaving the driver’s seat of the now stationary bus, they said, the driver grappled with the gunman and wrestled the pistol out of his hands.
“Realising that the shoe was now on the other foot, the suspect raised his hands and apologised, pleading for mercy”
Holding the gun trained on the suspect, the driver ordered him off the bus, pushing him along the road towards the rear of the bus.
“When he was a safe distance away, the driver got back into the bus and drove to the Scottburgh police station where he reported the matter and handed in the pistol he had taken from his assailant. It was loaded with a full magazine of 15 rounds of ammunition”
The gun, said police, would be subjected to ballistics tests to determine if it had been used to commit any other crimes.
The Scottburgh SAPS has registered charges of pointing of a firearm, attempted kidnapping and attempted carjacking for investigation.