Philip Keet, a farmer from Potgietersrus, Limpopo, was rescued from the clutches of a group of robbers, several minutes after being overpowered and kidnapped on his farm on March 1, 2015.
Keet (39) told Maroela Media on Monday that he was at his house when two men called him at about 15:10 from the garden gate, and said they wanted to buy cattle.
He went with them to a second gate, about 40 meters from the house, where about 12 unidentified men in two vehicles, a white VW- bakkie and black Audi, suddenly surrounded him and started bumping him around.
“One of the men had his finger pointed at me. He accused me that I had stolen cattle somewhere along with him, “Keet said. His wife, Robyne, saw from their house what happened. She collected their gun and fired two warning shots in the air.
The men threw Keet “like a sack of flour” on the back of the bakkie and drove off in both of the farm vehicles. Robyne called for help immediately.
Meanwhile, Keet was about 5km from his farm when he saw an oncoming vehicle. He was able to signal to the oncoming vehicle that he needed help.
“The driver is a farmer from the community and luckily he saw me and turned back. He overtook the bakkie and pulled it off the road, I then jumped off.”
Keet and the farmer started talking to the group of men, after which the group accused Keet again that he had stolen cattle. They finally agreed to go to the nearest police station so that the police can handle the case.
“I drove with the farmer in his bakkie to the police station. We were still on our way when the group, in their two vehicles, turned away and disappeared in the direction of the Zebediela informal settlement,” Keet said.
Keet lodged a case of kidnapping at the police station.
Keet sustained no serious injuries during the incident. He thanked everyone who supported and prayed for him and his wife during and after the incident. “One only realizes, when you go through something like this, how much your neighbor cares for you,” he said.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
