'Nobody did anything to help'

2008-02-22 21:44

Kim Snyders

Johannesburg - A 14-year-old boy from Randburg is badly traumatised after an unknown couple attacked him as he came home from school on Friday.

The boy was grabbed by the couple, who tried to pull him into their moving car, robbed him and then dropped him in the road.

A Good Samaritan came to the boy's aid after other motorists just drove past, leaving him lying helplessly in the road.

The boy, called Darren (his parents don't want to reveal his surname), was on Friday released from hospital with injuries to 60% of his body.

He fought back

Darren was on his way home when the couple in the blue Nissan bakkie started following him. According to his mother Jo-Ann, he initially walked with another group of pupils, but then continued on alone.

"From what I can gather, the bakkie continued driving behind him and when they were next to him, the woman started pulling at him from behind."

"She wanted to pull him in through the window, but he started fighting back."

The woman apparently held Darren with one arm while searching through his schoolbag with the other, all while the car was still moving.

She took money and his cellphone.

"We aren't sure what exactly happened afterwards, but they then just dropped him. They literally let him fall into the road while they drove off."

Motorist Mark Berry was driving along, turning into the road where the incident was taking place and saw how Darren nearly fell underneath the bakkie. "I saw the bakkie about 200m in front of me and at first thought it was someone playing next to the bakkie. But then I saw how the boy was being jerked up and down."

"His feet were literally on and off the ground and at one point his shoulder was also against the road. I was so shocked and could not even take the registration number. I now wish I could have done more."

Berry said he saw how the boy almost fell under the car and quickly had to roll out of the way.

He stopped next to him, picked up his shoe and sock and immediately took him home.

"Before I stopped, another car in front of me just drove past. A municipal truck with about ten workers stood across the road. They saw everything but nobody did a thing to help".

According to his mother, Darren had already started with counselling.

Police spokesperson inspector Karen Jacobs confirmed that a robbery charge had been laid at Honeydew Police Station.

Anyone with information was asked to call police on 011-801-8400.

- Beeld