Image: Gareth Wilson/File
A teacher was hijacked in the car park of a northern areas school in Gqeberha on Tuesday.
The teacher at Sanctor High School in Bethelsdorp had just pulled into the car park at about 7.25am when the terrifying incident happened.
Sanctor High principal Keith Buck said he had just finished early prayers with his administration staff and was returning to his office when pupils rushed through shouting that there was something going on outside.
“I ran out to the car park where the noise was coming from just in time to see the teacher standing there and his vehicle pulling away.
“I couldn’t see the people inside the car properly but there were three of them,” Buck said.
“The teacher , who we cannot name at this stage, had just been thrown out the vehicle.”
Buck said the teacher had described how he had arrived and pulled into his parking place inside the Sanctor gates when a man came up to his window.
“It seems this guy was asking about painting and the teacher was confused as to who he was and what he was talking about.
“Next thing this man pulled out a gun and two other guys appeared and they shouted he must move over as they were taking him and the car.
“They then changed their mind and threw him out the car.”
He said it was not clear how the men got into the car park but they had likely slipped through the gate as it was being opened to let staff in.
Buck said the hijacked teacher was thankfully unharmed.
“There was a report on social media indicating that someone had been stabbed. That was not the case,” he said.
“But the teacher is traumatised. We sent him to a doctor and then home.
“Some of the kids and other members of staff are also in shock and we are in communication with the education department to organise counselling.”
He said the hijacked car was a grey Polo sedan with licence plate FHK859EC.
Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu confirmed the incident.
“A case of vehicle hijacking was opened for further investigation,” she said.
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