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Thubelihle Mabhena Chronicle Reporter
A BULAWAYO man who survived a car-jacking horror with his family on Saturday, yesterday recovered his vehicle.

An elated Maxwell Gondo told The Chronicle that the armed robbers dumped the vehicle in front of Choppies Supermarket in New Lobengula.

A gun-totting gang shot at Gondo in a hair-raising encounter where a bullet sliced through the heel of his shoe, as they ordered him and his three relatives to hand over the vehicle.

Gondo, of Mpopoma, said he was contacted by the police informing him they had found his white Toyota Corolla at around 10AM parked in front of the supermarket.

He said the car was in perfect condition although the robbers stole some equipment that was in it.

“The detectives took my fingerprints and I turned on the ignition before driving away,” said Gondo.

“The third number plate, licence disc, wheel covers, seat covers, spare wheel, set of car tools, jump starters, Huawei cellphone and satchel containing $100 plus R100 were missing.

“I thank God I managed to recover my car. I had sleepless nights thinking that I’d lost something l’ve worked so hard for,” said Gondo.

He said he could not believe his eyes when he saw his car parked at Choppies as he thought he had lost it forever.

Gondo said no one has been arrested so far.

Sibonele Dube, 20, a vendor who sells next to Choppies supermarket said she found the vehicle parked next to her vending post on Sunday morning.

“I found the vehicle parked next to my vending stall at around 8AM. It was parked there the whole day until today when the detectives arrived,” said Dube.

Witnesses said they did not see the people who parked the car at the scene.

Gondo told The Chronicle that he came close to death on Saturday evening when a bullet sliced one of his shoes after he tried to resist the armed robbers’ demands.

He was hijacked along Intemba Road at around 8.30PM while on his way to Magwegwe North in the company of his brother and two relatives.

According to Gondo a speeding vehicle approached from behind and tried to force him off the road.

“The vehicle was occupied by a number of men and it stopped in front of our vehicle.

“A man jumped out of the car ordering us to get out before producing a gun and fired a shot which damaged my shoe.

“He then dragged me out of the car,” said Gondo.

Gondo and his relatives managed to escape unharmed before the robbers drove off at high speed.

Bulawayo provincial spokesperson, Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo could not be reached for comment as he was said to have travelled to Harare.