Miss-Delectable
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News - South Africa: Hijack terror for deaf friends
Hijackers, it seems, have no mercy, even for those who are hearing-impaired and can only communicate through sign language.
Three hearing-impaired friends out to celebrate a birthday found this out to their cost when they were hijacked recently in Persus Road, Mayville.
The victims, popular dancer Darren Rajbal, 19, Mayville, a grade 11 pupil at Fulton School for the Deaf in Gillitts near Pinetown; Ismail Mansoor, 21, unemployed, of Morningside, and Jenna Rogers, 26, unemployed, of Hilton outside Pietermaritzburg, were spending the day at Darren's home, because Ismail and Jenna were unable to visit him on his birthday that Tuesday (July 14).
Darren's mother and interpreter, Shereen, 46, a travel consultant, said the friends decided to drive to a relative's home to fetch a few DVDs, when the incident occurred, at about 7.30 pm.
"While turning into Persus Road, six armed men in a VW Jetta pulled up in front of them, causing Jenna, the driver of her VW Polo, to stop. The men surrounded the vehicle, opened the doors and started to assault them," said Shereen. Jenna, who was terrified, tried to shake off the hijackers by running away, but one of them chased after her as she ran toward nearby houses.
"She jumped over a fence and rolled down a steep bank and injured her left leg in the process. Fortunately for her, the hijacker who pursued her, gave up and rejoined his five accomplices," said Shereen.
Darren and Ismail, meanwhile, had guns pointed to their heads.
Unknown to the hijackers that the two were hearing-impaired, the gang screamed at them for money jewellery, cellphones and other valuables, only to be met with silence. It was then that one hijacker hit Ismail on the head with the butt of a gun before they fled with their loot from the duo, and Jenna's car, which has not yet been found.
Jenna, meanwhile, managed to get help from residents, who called the police. As Darren and Ismail looked for Jenna they were relieved to see her in a police vehicle. All were then taken to the Cato Manor Police Station and later reunited with Darren's parents.
So petrified are Darren's family that they will not allow him to go anywhere without them, said his mother, who lamented the fact that not even those who were hearing impaired were free from the clutches of criminals.
Cato Manor Communications Officer Sika Hlengwa said the matter was under investigation.
Unfortunately, hijacking and rapes are too common in South Africa.
Hijackers, it seems, have no mercy, even for those who are hearing-impaired and can only communicate through sign language.
Three hearing-impaired friends out to celebrate a birthday found this out to their cost when they were hijacked recently in Persus Road, Mayville.
The victims, popular dancer Darren Rajbal, 19, Mayville, a grade 11 pupil at Fulton School for the Deaf in Gillitts near Pinetown; Ismail Mansoor, 21, unemployed, of Morningside, and Jenna Rogers, 26, unemployed, of Hilton outside Pietermaritzburg, were spending the day at Darren's home, because Ismail and Jenna were unable to visit him on his birthday that Tuesday (July 14).
Darren's mother and interpreter, Shereen, 46, a travel consultant, said the friends decided to drive to a relative's home to fetch a few DVDs, when the incident occurred, at about 7.30 pm.
"While turning into Persus Road, six armed men in a VW Jetta pulled up in front of them, causing Jenna, the driver of her VW Polo, to stop. The men surrounded the vehicle, opened the doors and started to assault them," said Shereen. Jenna, who was terrified, tried to shake off the hijackers by running away, but one of them chased after her as she ran toward nearby houses.
"She jumped over a fence and rolled down a steep bank and injured her left leg in the process. Fortunately for her, the hijacker who pursued her, gave up and rejoined his five accomplices," said Shereen.
Darren and Ismail, meanwhile, had guns pointed to their heads.
Unknown to the hijackers that the two were hearing-impaired, the gang screamed at them for money jewellery, cellphones and other valuables, only to be met with silence. It was then that one hijacker hit Ismail on the head with the butt of a gun before they fled with their loot from the duo, and Jenna's car, which has not yet been found.
Jenna, meanwhile, managed to get help from residents, who called the police. As Darren and Ismail looked for Jenna they were relieved to see her in a police vehicle. All were then taken to the Cato Manor Police Station and later reunited with Darren's parents.
So petrified are Darren's family that they will not allow him to go anywhere without them, said his mother, who lamented the fact that not even those who were hearing impaired were free from the clutches of criminals.
Cato Manor Communications Officer Sika Hlengwa said the matter was under investigation.
Unfortunately, hijacking and rapes are too common in South Africa.