Hennie and his wife Doreen returned home after drawing money in Springs. When they stopped in front of the gate of their Angola Street home in Selcourt at 2pm, Doreen got out to open the gate.
“While I opened the gate I noticed a silver VW Tourag stop and four armed robbers jumped out of it,” said Doreen.
She adds one of the robbers approached Hennie and ordered him to get out of the vehicle, while another robber approached her.
According to Hennie’s son Hendrik, he was on his way towards his parents’ house when he saw his father struggling with an armed robber.
“I saw my dad struggling with the robber and it looked like he got hold of the robber’s gun. A shot was fired and we think my father might have wounded him.
“The other robber then left my mother’s side, walked around the car and shot my father in the lower back,” said Hendrik, who was still far away at that stage.
Doreen added she ran to the house and pressed the panic button which immediately alerted ADT Security.
According to Hendrik, his father was lying on the ground and the robbers surrounded him.
“When I was close one robber shouted ‘shoot him’ [Hendrik] and I turned towards my mother and ordered her to open the gate for the dogs.
“When I looked back I saw the robbers jump into their vehicle and drive off. I noticed the vehicle was without number plates,” said Hendrik.
Within minutes ADT arrived on the scene and they alerted the ambulance services and Springs police.
“The paramedics had already stabilised him by the time the police arrived on the scene and he was transported to hospital,” said Springs police spokesman Warrant Officer Amanda Greybe.
Hendrik added the doctors operated on his father the same night to establish the damage done by the bullet. He said his father had suffered damage to his colon.
“He is still in high care and he is stable but in a lot of pain,” said Hendrik.
Doreen said she is still shocked and also hurt by what happened to Hennie.
“People should be vigilant, careful and don’t ever think it will never happen to you,” concluded Doreen.
The Snyman family are grateful for all the help from ADT and their CPSF.
