Man to lose leg after being shot by robber

Thys Besselaar, 35, from Phalaborwa, and Tokkie Hugo, owner of Certainty Lodge in Sodwana, KwaZulu-Natal, were attacked at the lodge on Friday night.

 

Hugo had been entertaining guests in what he described as “a normal Friday night”, Netwerk24 reported.

 

Most of the guests retired at around 21:00, but Hugo and Besselaar stayed behind to have drinks at the bar.

 

Three armed men, carrying a 9mm pistol, an AK-47 and a shotgun respectively, entered the premises and overpowered the pair.

 

One of the robbers had focused his attention on Besselaar, who he thought had a gun, and frequently threatened him, Hugo said.

 

Besselaar then attacked the robber with a barstool, while Hugo tackled the other two. The robber with the shotgun shot Besselaar in the leg, before all three robbers fled the scene.

 

According to Hugo, the robbers first targeted workers on the premises. Many of them were robbed of their cellphones.

 

Besselaar was taken to a hospital in Richards Bay and was transferred to a hospital in Durban on Sunday, where he is due to have his leg amputated on Monday.

 

Author : George Germishuys, News24

NewsWire ID : 3544

(File Photo: Gallo Images)