Tumisho Masha, the lead actor in the movie Mandela's Gun. Picture: Antoine de Ras Tumisho Masha, the lead actor in the movie Mandela's Gun. Picture: Antoine de Ras
Johannesburg - Actor and TV presenter Tumisho Masha was still shaken yesterday after surviving a five-hour hijacking ordeal in which he was held hostage for his car.
On Sunday night, Masha was on his way from his hometown of Soshanguve in Tshwane to Joburg in his BMW 435i when he was accosted by the hijackers and thrown into the boot of the blue car.
He had gone to Soshanguve to visit his family and friends.
"I am still in shock and traumatised by what happened. It all happened so fast and it only dawned on me while I had a gun held to my face that it was a hijack and I had to fully co-operate in order to live," said Masha.
His ordeal began around 10pm on Sunday and ended at 2.45am on Monday when he was dropped off in Soshanguve, he said, declining to give further details.
"I realise that I am not the first to be hijacked, nor will I be the last, but we cannot allow ourselves to be held ransom by thugs in our communities," he said.
"I urge members of our communities to please report any suspicious activities to the police so that we can rid our communities of crime and that we able to walk or drive freely without fear.
"A big problem with the crime situation is the lack of employment and business opportunities for the youth in the townships, which exacerbates the situation."
Oscar Tshifure, Masha's manager and spokesman, said the exact details surrounding the hijacking were still unclear as the actor was still traumatised.
"He is still quite shaken up, and sustained a few cuts and bruises from being shoved into the boot forcefully. The details on where he was picked up and how many hijackers were there are still unclear, but we will speak to him once he has calmed down," said Tshifure.
Police spokesman Captain Kay Makhubele confirmed that a case of hijacking had been opened with the police after Masha was hijacked in Soshanguve on Sunday night. "We don't know how many suspects there were," he said.
On August 7, another actor, McDonald Ndou, from the SABC soapie Muvhango, was hijacked in Jeppestown, Joburg.
Police spokesman Richard Munyai said then about the incident: "After the victim parked his Audi, he was approached by three men as he was about to close the gate. Two of them had firearms.
"They put him in the passenger's seat and robbed him of a cellphone and bank cards before they drove off.
"Ndou's car was recovered on the same day near Edenpark, Alberton, after they abandoned him and his car."
lerato.mbangeni@inl.co.za
The Star