Man shot 7 times at Steiltes soccer ball reservoir in December
A local was shot in the legs six times and once in the abdomen in a robbery and carjacking at what once used to be a proud landmark.
Prof Morela Mohlahlo was shot seven times in a robbery and carjacking at the Steiltes soccer ball on December 16 at 19:00.
He sustained six bullet wounds to his legs and one to his abdomen, and was recently discharged from hospital after spending both Christmas and New Year’s in Rob Ferreira.
“My girlfriend and I had gone to look at the view,” said Mohlahlo. He said another couple had already been at the site when they arrived. “Two armed men, dressed in what looked like security attire, came straight towards us.”
He said the duo did not seem to pay any attention to the other couple, and as soon as they reached his partner and him, they fired a shot at his leg and demanded he hand over his cellphone and car keys.
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“I fell to the ground. I was trying to get my car keys out when one of the men shot me in the leg again.”
Mohlahlo said he tried to grab the gun and felt another shot.
“My girlfriend managed to jump out of the way and hid. She called the police. The men got into my car and sped off. Someone who lives near the site heard the shots, rushed to the scene and called for an ambulance. Meanwhile, the other couple just disappeared. I was lying in a pool of my own blood. I did not know if I was going to make it,” he said.
“The man who had called the ambulance services said all the right things to keep me positive and even made a few jokes. He was wearing a Sharks shirt and I remember saying I could not believe that a Sharks supporter was helping me stay alive, especially because I am a Bulls fan,” he laughed.
Mohlahlo said while he had been waiting for the ambulance to arrive, his girlfriend had called some of his friends who came to the scene and helped to keep him conscious. “They gave me hope and kept me awake. When the ambulance arrived, they acted with urgency and treated me with great care. The Rob Ferreira medical staff were excellent towards me and I was well taken care of.”
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Mohlahlo said the armed men had appeared to be wearing bulletproof vests and their faces had been hidden by caps and black bandanas. He did not know the area is a crime hotspot until after he had been shot. “My car was found an hour later in Nelsville.”
ER24’s Jim Masinga said he had arrived at the scene almost immediately after receiving the call. “We found the man lying near the viewpoint. He was still conscious and talking. He had bilateral femur fractures as well as a gunshot wound to the abdomen and was actively bleeding. We were able to stop the bleeding and stabilised him on the scene before rushing him to hospital for further treatment,” he said.
A provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, said the Nelspruit SAPS only has a case registered for a robbery with a firearm that occurred at the soccer ball on December 31, and that no other case from that area had been registered between December 16 and 31.
“I still have not had any feedback from the police on the matter. I still need to open a case, but I was in hospital from December 16 and was only discharged on January 18. I have had two operations on my legs so far and I am still not walking yet, although I should be able to do so again soon,” said Mohlahlo.
