22/03/2024
A story of hope for South Africa:
Everyone in our country should read this!
Me and my family were traveling to Margate for holiday, our first sea holiday in many years. About 120 kilometres from our destination, on the N2 Southbound our car broke down with me, my wife, 10-year-old daughter, 12-year-old son and 84-year-old mom in the car.
It was a scary area near Umlazi, I immediately called my insurance for roadside assistance. After an hour nobody came to help us, back and forth with the call centre, I was panicking and everything seemed doomed.
Three men approached our vehicle from different sides, we immediately knew that we were in danger, kids started screaming and my wife was crying. My mom and all of us started praying fervently. The car's battery was completely flat, I could not close my window. They started banging on the doors, demanding money and belongings, and threatened my wife that they are going to stab us. Cars were driving by as if nothing is happening, they forced their way into my window and said they want my cell phone and wallet.
As a dad, the only thing that went through my mind was my family, they were all hysterical at this point in time, and all I was thinking about is please don't hurt my family or take them. I handed over my cell phone and wallet and they walked away. At this stage I was trying to calm my kids, in the back of my mind I knew that they will be coming back for the rest of our belongings.
I tried to call 10111, it took about 10 minutes before I could speak to someone, they said they will transfer me to a police station nearby, and I got cut off. I knew that calling the police is going to be of no use. I prayed as it got darker, without my phone and insurance people's numbers that I have been struggling with for the past almost 2 hours. While I was praying, I saw a small blue light in my rearview mirror. I got out of the car and started running towards this light, frantically waving and screaming to the 2 Metro Police officers in the car.
They followed me as I ran back to my family, I explained everything what has happened to us. The first thing the officer asked me is if I want them to chase after the perpetrators or if they should stay with us. My response was please stay with my family; they are traumatised. They assured me that they will stay with us, no matter how long it takes, and they will not leave our side. They spoke to my kids and calmed them down, assured all of not to worry.
I was so relieved at this point. These two officers helped me to arrange a tow truck, spoke with the insurance themselves on their personal phones. With all my money stolen, cards, cell phone etc. the insurance said it will cost an additional R4500 for a family run to take my family to safety.
Captain Simphiwe Masondo (on the right of this photo attached) called his wife to come with their personal private vehicle to transport my family to our holiday residence, almost 2 hours' drive from where we were stuck.
These two officers did not leave our side for one second, offered to help us all the way and made sure we were safe until the very end, almost 5 hours later we arrived at our destination along with our broken-down vehicle. I offered this officer petrol and toll money that he paid out of his pocket. He refused, saying that it is his duty to help people.
I still don't know if it was an angel or a real metro police officer, but stories like this is hard to find. I have to share this to everyone in South Africa that are always negative and have an assumption of Metro police. There are good people out there and may this be an example to many people. Even in the darkest hour of my family's life, there was hope. We all prayed together in the end, traumatised and all, my kids saw a real miracle happening. So many things could have gone even more wrong. What if those officers did not help, we would have been vulnerable for hours in the dark and something much worse could have happened.
Although we are now stuck at the coast without a vehicle, traumatised kids, don't know where will get money to get the car fixed to go back to Gauteng, as a dad I can just be thankful for life and life with my family. We might not enjoy the holiday as we have planned, but at least we got a chance to see miracles happen, know that there is hope for our country and have faith in God and humanity.
Please pray for us that this experience will not leave my family with scars, but with hope for a better future. Pray for these officers and their families as well, pray that they will be an inspiration for our nation and for fellow service men and woman in South Africa.
