A Pastor from the informal settlement Wentworth, around 11km south from Durban,  said an armed hijacker ordered him to stop praying in the name of Jesus and instead declare that ‘the devil is here’ feared he would never see his family again during a terrifying hijacking ordeal, reports Southlands Sun.

“I started praying out loud and asking God to help us because I realised they might kill us. I said, ‘Father, in the name of Jesus …’ but before I could finish, the man with the firearm interrupted me. He said, ‘Do not say in the name of Jesus. Say the devil is here.’ I told him I would never say that. At that point, I was prepared to die for my faith,” said Pastor Deon Varcoe of Bethel Fellowship Wentworth.

Varcoe and his helper were collecting sand beneath the M4 Bridge in Merebank last week Wednesday (June 17) when two men approached them and enquired about employment opportunities.

He said nothing about the pair initially raised alarm bells.

“They looked decent, and one of them had a handbag slung around his neck. Suddenly, he pulled a firearm from behind his bag and cocked it. At first, I thought it was just going to be a robbery. When I looked at the gun, I realised it was old and had probably been used before in criminal activities,” said Varcoe.

One of the men allegedly demanded the keys to his bakkie, but Varcoe told him they were inside the vehicle even though they were actually in his pocket.

“The man searched the vehicle but could not find the keys. He came back to me and demanded it again,” he said.

Both victims held at gunpoint

Varcoe said he and his helper were then forced to squat next to the bakkie while one of the suspects pointed a firearm at their heads and repeatedly threatened to shoot them if they failed to comply.

He said the ordeal lasted nearly 20 minutes in an isolated area where there was little chance of anyone coming to their aid.

“They also demanded my helper’s cellphone and took R50. By then, they had become very aggressive. They searched me and eventually found the keys in the back pocket of my trousers,” he said.

As the situation became increasingly desperate, Varcoe said he feared they would not survive.

Moments later, a second suspect climbed into the bakkie. As it began moving, another man jumped into the vehicle and the group sped off, leaving Varcoe and his helper stranded.

“I lost my Bible, diary, cellphone, vehicle and other valuables that were inside the bakkie,” he said.

After the hijackers fled, the two men walked to the M4 before making their way back to Wentworth.

Faith carried him through

Despite the traumatic experience, Varcoe believes his faith gave him the strength to remain calm in the face of danger and survive one of the most frightening moments of his life.

“I forgive them, but I feel sorry for them. This will not end well. They have brought a curse upon themselves and their future generations by attacking me,” he said.

Police investigation

Local police spokesperson for the eThekwini District Captain Carmen Rhynes said the victim was parked underneath the M4 bridge near the park in Sialkot Crescent while offloading rubble from his Nissan NP200.

“While standing outside his motor vehicle together with his helper, they were approached by two unknown suspects. One of the suspects produced and cocked a firearm, whereafter the victim was threatened and dispossessed of the keys to his motor vehicle. No shots were fired during the incident, and no injuries were reported. Investigations are ongoing to trace the suspects and recover the stolen vehicle,” said Rhynes.

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