Durban pastor Deon Varcoe recalled how he prayed and called out to Jesus, while two men held him and his helper at gunpoint, robbed him of his belongings, and then fled with his bakkie on Wednesday.
Varcoe said he went to collect sand from a business premises on Simla Road, Merebank, just after 10am.
“I drove into the yard and switched off my bakkie (a Nissan NP200). Both me and the young man who was assisting me, jumped out. Our backs faced the road.
“A few seconds later, I heard someone ask, ‘how’s a job.’ I turned around and saw two young men at the yard entrance. I told them there was no job and that things were bad.
“Suddenly, one man with a sling bag pulled out a small silver gun, cocked it and pointed it at me. He asked me for the keys to the bakkie. I told him I did not know where it was. They were standing about two-metres away from us, so I could not attempt to grab the gun,” he said.
Varcoe said the second suspect searched him.
“While he was searching me, I tried to talk to them. I asked them if they wanted money. I told them I had some and would give it to them. However, he took my car keys, cellphone, cash and bank cards. He then searched the helper.
“When they could not find a cellphone, they shouted that he had hidden it. The helper tried to explain but they were not interested. They became aggressive and rough-handled him. The man still pointed the firearm between me and the helper. I tried talking to him again, but he did not care about what I was saying,” he said.
Varcoe, whose church is situated in Wentworth, said he began to pray.
“I was praying loud, and kept saying ‘in the name of Jesus’. I realised we could die at any moment and I needed to pray. While praying, the man with the gun said, ‘Don’t say Jesus, the devil is here.’ I realised they were heartless and would not show mercy or grace.”
Varcoe and his helper were instructed to squat next to his bakkie.
“We were too afraid to look up as I could feel the gun pointed at us. I just prayed. The other man tried to start my bakkie but it would not start. This frustrated them.
“There is a technique to start it, and after several attempts they finally succeeded. Even during this time, I pleaded with them to return my belongings. I had my Bible and diary in the bakkie,” he said.
He said he tried to reason with them.
“But they did not care. They drove off. This was just a job for them. Sadly, our youth have turned to crime to survive. If employment opportunities aren’t created, these crimes will continue.”
Varcoe added that he was grateful to God that he and the helper escaped unharmed.
Colonel Robert Netshiunda, a provincial police spokesperson, said a case of carjacking was being investigated.
