Reaction officer saves hijack victim

Published Mar 11, 2018

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Durban - A local reaction officer’s sharp eye may have saved the life of a Reservoir Hills father, who was shot in the thigh and thrown out of his vehicle during a hijacking in Folweni last Tuesday afternoon.

PT Alarms reaction officer Dhevan Govindasamy had just responded to a call in the area when he noticed three men approach a stationary Isuzu bakkie.

“I was about 100 metres away from the bakkie and within seconds, I heard a gunshot and saw a man being thrown to the side of the road. The hijackers then sped away in the bakkie,” said Govindasamy.

The reaction officer said he had two choices - to chase after the suspects or help Nishen Naidu, a courier company employee who was out on a job.

Naidu chose the latter.

“He was shot in the thigh and was bleeding profusely. He was screaming out in pain. I contacted our ambulance service and flagged down a passing police van.”

Govindasamy said paramedics stabilised 36-year-old Naidu at the scene before taking him to hospital.

The vigilant officer, who has been working in the industry for seven years, said: “Crime is a problem in South Africa. We need to take charge and help one another.”

Naidu’s wife, Krubeshnee, could not be reached for comment, but hours after her husband’s ordeal she took to social media to thank PT Alarms.

“Nishen is out of theatre. Op was a success. Inserted a 43cm x 10mm rod. Unfortunately, (the) bullet cannot be removed due to the fact that it is too close to his arteries. Long road to recovery, 12 weeks. Let’s continue keeping him in prayer,” she wrote on Facebook.

Among the comments, Shireen Vyt wrote: “This is the reason we left South Africa 18 years ago. This is our family member. Pray to God his gunshot wound heals and God bless his wife and two little kids.”

Patricia van Dyk added: “I hope he makes a full recovery. So sad that this beautiful country has come to this”

Police spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane, said a case of hijacking and attempted murder was being investigated.

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