Cape Town - A 26-year-old man is recovering in hospital after being shot in an apparent attempted hijacking in Oakdale near Bellville at the weekend.
Elandre Senekal and his wife Jonel were attacked by two men at an intersection near their home at about 8.50pm on Saturday. Senekal was shot six times before the two men made off on foot with Jonel’s wallet. Jonel was pulled from the car during the incident but was not seriously injured.
“It appears to be a case of an attempted hijacking but all avenues are being investigated. A case of attempted murder has been opened but no arrests have been made,” said police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk.
Senekal was taken to Louis Leipoldt Hospital. Staff said he was in a stable condition and responding well to treatment but he was not willing to talk to the media this morning.
He did, however, seem upbeat on a Facebook status posted earlier this morning: “So excited that I can go home today… How awesome, I hope the doctor comes around early so that I can get home to (my wife) and kids.”
In an earlier post, Senekal uploaded photos of his wounds and confirmed that all six shots missed his vital organs. The photos show injuries to his abdomen, shoulder and chest.
Senekal’s mother Marinda Senekal, who hails from Despatch in the Eastern Cape, has travelled to Bellville to be with her son and his family.
“Unfortunately this is but one of a range of shooting incidents that happened around Cape Town and the Western Cape this weekend,” said Dan Plato, the province’s MEC for Community Safety.
“In another incident a 36-year-old community leader from Delft was also shot. But I do agree you do not expect this to happen in what is otherwise a peaceful, quiet area of Bellville.”
Plato said vigilance, especially at night, was important to ensure one’s safety when stopping at intersections or traffic lights in the city.
“It just goes to show violent criminals such as these don’t operate within boundaries. In their search for a soft target they can strike almost anywhere.
“I know that the police are on top of investigating this case but I would nonetheless like to call on them to ensure that the perpetrators are arrested as a matter of urgency.”
Cape Argus