GUNSHOTS flashed like ‘lightning on the ground’ as injured policeman Mbongeni Hlongwane sat flush against a pillar warding off attackers from the left, right, behind and front.
The 33-year-old constable had trained for combat but this was his first encounter in what can only be described as a ‘Wild West’ shoot-out when armed robbers stormed into a bottle store at Five Ways Mall in Empangeni on Saturday night.
The Durban-based cop, who is part of the National Mobile Training Unit, was in Richards Bay for operations during the weekend and had just popped in at the local shopping centre to withdraw money and buy airtime at around 6.30pm.
But unbeknown to the officer, he was about to intercept an orchestrated hit by an armed gang at Tops at Spar when he was summoned by a staff member inside the shop.
‘The employee pointed towards the liquor store without any explanation. I thought a carjacking was taking place,’ Mbongeni told the Zululand Observer from his hospital bed at Empangeni Garden Clinic.
‘I was about two metres away from the shop when an armed suspect wearing a balaclava and overall came out running. He jumped over the trolleys. Another suspect stood at the door. I moved fast, pointing my firearm at them and ordering them to stop. But they opened fire.’
The next few seconds was a non-stop exchange of fire according to Mbongeni.
‘I have never experienced anything like that before. There was no time to call back up or think. I just had to move to a safe place behind the pillar and shoot back. Bullets were coming low from all sides. My colleague in civilian clothes came out to assist. I didn’t think I was going to survive. These guys were prepared and wanted to take us down. One of the suspects was injured and fell during the encounter.’
Defend
Sustaining a gunshot wound to his right upper leg, the fearless constable continued to defend the frightened shoppers, staff and passer-bys until his legs froze.
‘I didn’t even know I had been shot until I could not move. I went down on my elbow and was crouching. The shots were flying past me. By then another policeman came out to assist in the parking lot.
The father of a seven-month-old baby said he miraculously survived after the bullet came out through his bladder missing vital organs.
‘I thank God for saving my life. I was not afraid of the robbers. I am always ready. When I joined the force, I was prepared for this sort of incident.’
The armed gang of robbers is still at large.
READ Empangeni bottle store manager tells of his traumatic robbery ordeal.
