Suspected hijackers rammed by brave granny appear in court

Phuthi Mashala appeared agitated as he made his first appearance at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

Mashala and his co-accused, Patrice Tebela, appeared briefly before senior magistrate Martin Kroukamp. The pair were arrested on September 19, following an intense search by police after they were caught on video allegedly trying to hijack an elderly woman in Alberton a few weeks earlier.

The video went viral after the woman didn’t give in to their demands when they instructed her to get out if her vehicle after they tail-gated her as she drove into her driveway. Instead of handing over the car, she reversed and rammed her car into theirs.

The men were forced to flee.

Mashala kept on looking in the direction of the public gallery and, as soon as he spotted a man who appeared to be his father, he whispered that he needed toiletries and cash to use while in custody. The man refused to speak to TimesLIVE, saying it was a stressful situation for him.

Mashala and Tembela were arrested in Tembisa, east of Johannesburg, and are facing a charge of attempted hijacking.

A source close to the investigation told TimesLIVE that a third man arrested with the pair could not be positively linked to the crime and charges against him had since been withdrawn.

Tebela also told the court that he still needed to find a lawyer.

Mashala had his attorney, Tefo Mokgoatsane, present in court.

State prosecutor Madelé Ferreira asked Kroukamp to postpone the matter to October 3 for a formal bail application.

“The state still needs to verify addresses of the accused,” Ferreira said.

On agreement by both the state and defence, the matter was postponed.