A man from Mitchells Plain is counting his blessings after surviving a terrifying hijacking during which he was shot in the chest on Sunday night.
A video showing Lyle Europa, 35, from Colorado Park, sitting in a hospital bed recounting his ordeal, the bullet hole visible in his chest, has gone viral.
Lyle, a freelance graphic designer, says after working hard for years to overcome a heroin addiction, he bought his first car, a white Hyundai Getz.
On Sunday, he went to visit friends and on his way home, he stopped at a huiswinkel in Montana Road at about 7.30pm.
“As I got in the car to text my friends, I saw a guy put his hand through the window and grab the key,” he tells the Daily Voice.
He thought it was one of his friends making gat, but when he looked at the suspect properly, he realised he was being hijacked.
The brave man fought the hijacker, but then a second skelm appeared at the passenger window and pointed a gun at him.
“I opened the door to get out and went down so the guy couldn’t shoot me, but then I saw the first guy take out a gun and I lunged towards him to get the gun, but he shot me.”
An injured Lyle ran into the winkel, but was followed by the gunmen.
As he stood at the shop praying for his life, the skelms turned around, took his car and fled.
Despite his wound, he ran to a friend’s home for help.
“I put my finger in the hole and I told my friend I just wanted to go home and show my mommy, Rosita, 70, that I am fine, but he told me he will go instead, and CWS Security took me to hospital.”
At the Mitchells Plain District Hospital, Lyle says he walked up to a doctor and said: “Lovey, I have been hijacked and shot and need help. I have a plan for my life so you guys must do something here.”
Lyle says he made the video to show his friends and family that he is fine.
“They did X-rays and said the bullet missed my lungs, my heart and went straight through.
“They didn’t even need to stitch me up, they just put two cotton balls and covered up the wounds.”
The matter was reported to Lentegeur SAPS, but Lyle says his car had not yet been found.
“I am really sad because I worked really hard and my laptop with all my graphic design work was in the boot, so it is also gone.”
Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana confirms the incident and says no arrests have been made yet.
monique.duval@inl.co.za