Hostages as human shields

Armed robbers used their hostages as a human shield when they opened fire on police in the Tongaat CBD on Monday morning.
Almost 30 patrons of Marshalls tote were forced outside the popular gambling establishment at gun point before their captors opened fire on police.
Tongaat SAPS Lt Mandy Govender said the police shouted at the hostages to lie on the ground to avoid being shot.
“The people were able to crawl to safety while there was shooting back and fourth between us and the robbers,” she said.
One of the robbers was shot dead and the four others were arrested. A policemen was grazed by a bullet below his right ear.
All the cell phones and money that had been taken were recovered.
The five men had held the patrons and Marshalls’ staff hostage for about 10 minutes before someone was able to alert the police.
“They first kicked the security guard and pushed him to the ground and then ordered us to lie on the floor. Some searched us for valuables and took cellphones and wallets while others demanded the keys to the safe from the girl who was behind the counter,” said Cebo Ndlela, who was one of the hostages.
Bhamshela taxi driver Thandazani Maphumulo went to Marshalls to try his luck at the horses while his car was at the car wash.
“When one of the robbers told me get down I thought he was playing an April Fool on us so I told him April Fools was tomorrow not today,” said Maphumulo.
He said his attacker obviously did not take kindly to the correction because he kicked him so hard that Maphumulo fell on his face.
“When it finally clicked that we were being robbed, I was petrified they were going to open fire on us. I cannot tell you how happy I was to hear the police shouting outside the shop because that meant they was hope for us to get out alive,” said Maphumulo.
Govender said that in addition to the Tongaat police present, the Reaction Unit South Africa team were very helpful in the assignment.
“This was a third robbery at Marshalls since last year,” concluded Govender.