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Hijack of ambulance described
21/04/2005 08:32 - (SA)
Sharika Regchand
Pietermaritzburg - The alleged ambulance hijackers scouted Pietermaritzburg in search of a Toyota Hi-ace to hijack as they had a Durban buyer. When they could not find one, they decided to hijack an ambulance.
This was the testimony of accomplice State witness Simon Seatlana on Wednesday at the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
Seatlana, who will be granted indemnity from prosecution if the court is satisfied with his testimony, is employed by a private tendering company where he is a supervisor at construction sites.
He told the court that while he was shopping on February 16 last year, he met rape and hijack accused Siphesihle Khumalo, 22, Mbusiswa Zondi, 21, and Thamsanqa Buthelezi and some other men.
Khumalo told the group that the three accused came from Durban and were looking for a Hi-ace as they had a buyer.
The gang went to Pietermaritz Street where they met up with some other men and decided to search for a Hi-ace. The group of eight squashed into a Fiat Uno, he said. When they could not find a minibus, they decided to hijack an ambulance.
One of the men was dropped off and the rest went to the Northway Mall where they called for an ambulance, saying there was an emergency at Cedara.
"We rushed to Cedara and waited for the ambulance. The ambulance that arrived was not a Toyota Hi-ace and I lied to the driver that the patient was taken by a car," he said.
At Cedara they dropped off another man and the remaining six decided to go home.
He said that while driving through Caluza township one of the men suggested that they call for an ambulance again as they "might be lucky this time", and so Seatlana made the call, saying that a woman who had given birth was sick.
The gang decided to split up. Two remained in the Uno while the three accused and Seatlana waited on the side of the road.
When the ambulance arrived, Khumalo approached the driver and snatched the keys from the ignition while Buthelezi pointed a firearm at the two paramedics.
Seatlana said he did not take part in the hijacking as he had no interest in the sale of the ambulance. Khumalo drove the ambulance, with Zondi as a passenger while Buthelezi took the two paramedics to the back of the vehicle.
Seatlana said he joined the others in the Uno and they were on their way home when they were contacted by Khumalo, who told them to meet in upper Edendale.
There the wheels of the ambulance, differential and battery were taken out before the ambulance was set alight.
The two paramedics have testified about the indecent assaults to which they were subjected by Buthelezi in the back of the ambulance.
- The Witness
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