A 53-year-old motorist sustained burns on his arms and face during an attempted hijacking in Mount Moreland, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
The incident occurred shortly before 9pm on Tuesday evening.
Hijacked vehicle set alight
The driver was on his way to Sibaya Casino when four armed men in a white VW Golf approached him and forced him into the back of his vehicle.
A fifth accomplice remained in a getaway car. However, the motorist activated a security device which restricted the fuel supply.
While the robbers were en route towards Umdloti, the vehicle’s available fuel supply was depleted.
Forced to stop on an unpaved road, the hijackers robbed the man of his cash before pouring a flammable substance over the vehicle and setting it alight.
Driver escaped just in time
The driver was able to escape before the vehicle burst into flames. Reaction Unite SA (RUSA) reported that the driver rolled on the grass and extinguished the fire.
He then contacted a family member using a cell phone he had concealed from the hijackers.
A RUSA team patrolling the area requested emergency assistance from the Ethekwini fire department when they spotted the Ford Ranger alongside the road, engulfed in flames.
The man sustained burns on his lips, face, and arms and was transported to a medical facility in Verulam.
