'He was touching me everywhere'

2007-10-07 23:42

Virginia Keppler

Witbank - There was bedlam when five armed robbers struck at a church in Witbank on Friday.

An elderly woman was stabbed and several shots fired at about 30 children and adults who were at the church at the time.

Some of the children were also beaten with firearms and a stick and shoved around.

The 29-year-old youth leader of the Congregation of Christ church, Marius Louwrens, said he was still telling pastor Kiewiet van Staden about the robbery when the confused robbers burst in and ran around in front of the pulpit.

Hit on the back

The incident occurred about 21:00 at the church in De Waal Street.

The robbers first overpowered teens outside the church and stole four of their cellphones.

Tiekie Kruger, 14, who was also outside the church, was hit on the back with a firearm.

"They also tried to hit me in the face with a stick, but I protected myself with my hands.

"One of the robbers asked for a cellphone and when I said I didn't have one, he body-searched me all over. I didn't like it, because he was touching me everywhere," she said.

Selwyn de Lange, 15, was struck on the head with a firearm.

Meanwhile, the robbers had overpowered Maggie Cooks, 70, in the church's kitchen, and threatened her with one of the church's knives.

"The robber stabbed me in the side and badly scratched my hands and arms as he shoved me around," Cooks said.

Another robber meanwhile ran into the church hall yelling, "keep quiet and lie down flat".

He pointed his firearm at Louwrens and then at seven-year-old Annie van Niekerk.

Some of the bullets hit the roof

Louwrens: "When he did that, I knocked the gun out of his hand and as I was trying to grab him, two of his gang came running up, yelling 'Leave him alone'."

"I ran in their direction to tackle them, but then the shots rang out," Louwrens said.

Some of the bullets hit the roof and walls of the church hall. No one was wounded.

Although the police were quick to respond when called, the robbers managed to escape.

Police spokesperson Eddie Hall said the police were still investigating the incident.

In another incident last week, thieves targeted a house where youths of the Doxa Deo congregation live, stealing a large number of valuable items.

- Beeld