Attempted hijackings in Ballito

Two near hijacking experiences have been reported by two men this week in the Ballito Virgin Active parking lot.

Ballito resident, Kay Ince said yesterday her son, Nathan was sitting in his car at around 4.45pm and was about to enter the gym, when he was approached by an Indian man who appeared to have been roughed up.

“The man’s face and ears were bleeding and he looked like he had been beaten up,” said Kay. The man asked to use Nathan’s cellphone and then pleaded for a lift to Stanger.

“My son has a soft heart and eventually agreed to take the injured man to Stanger. The man started acting weird on the way there in the car, asking personal questions about my son’s family and income and he could not stop fidgeting,” said Kay.

She said the man had a small zipper bag with him that he was struggling to open as the zip kept jamming.

“My son got suspicious, thinking the man may have intended to hijack him and quickly pulled into the Umvoti Shell Ultra City before the toll gate,” said Kay.

She said the man got out of the car and ran away as fast as he could, the moment the car came to a standstill.

Kay said her son’s friend had a similar experience a day earlier with a matching description of the man who approached her son.

“My son’s friend lend the bleeding man his cellphone but refused to take him to Stanger,” said Kay.

Nathan told his mother that the man spent 35 minutes talking on his friend’s cellphone on Monday before asking for a lift to Stanger.

It is believed that the man got upset when Nathan’s friend would not give him a lift.

Nathan’s friend immediately left without going to gym.

“My son has not had a chance to report the incident to the police yet because, as an engineer, he works long hours,” said Kay.

Nathan’s cell phone was off this afternoon when the Courier tried to reach him for comment.