Smekens, along with his daughter, Weena Kovacs, and son-in-law Glen Bremmer, were the three victims of the armed robbery which took place at their family business on 240 Birch Road.
“We were told to lie on the floor and one of the robbers hit me on my head with the gun,” Smekens said.
“That is when the gun fired.”
The two suspects stole an undisclosed amount of money, cellphones, a laptop and a tablet before fleeing the scene.
“They also took my son-in-law’s gun when they saw it,” Smekens added.
The 56-year-old was then taken to the Netcare Linmed Hospital.
“After they left, I walked to the car for my daughter to take me to the hospital,” he said.
“Fortunately it was a ricochet (the bullet bounced off a surface), so I got 25 stitches.”
Smekens closed his business, possibly until Friday (April 22), which is the day he has to go back to the hospital for a check-up.
“We suspect the robbers followed one of the customers into the store,” Smekens said.
“Then, when they got the chance, they decided to rob us.
“However, I will probably not be able to recognise them if I saw them.”
Smekens is surprised at his reaction to this unfortunate event.
“I should freak out, but I am surprisingly calm,” he said.
Crystal Park Police Station spokesperson Tryna Maritz said no arrests have yet been made.
“The suspects fled the scene towards Tembisa,” she added.
“Crystal Park Detectives will be investigating the case.”
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