Watch: Durban father speaks out after hijacking shoot-out

A peaceful Pinetown community turned into a movie scene on October 9, when a father returned fire on hijacking suspects, fatally wounding one of them, reports Highway Mail.

Since the surfacing of the video, which shows the heroic acts of Sidney Hill, who has been named South Africa’s John Wick, the news has gone viral, even overseas.

Speaking to the Highway Mail, Hill, a friendly father who speaks softly, greeted with a smile and said, “I am sorry for being late.”Addressing him as Mr John Wick, he laughed and said he has been called all kinds of names.

Although Hill is a bodyguard by profession and it is his daily job to protect, protecting his family hit differently.

“My children mean the world to me, I will die for my kids without hesitation, I did not care what was going to happen to me but knowing that they were protected eased me,” said the single father .

“My kids know what I do for a living but seeing it live makes my heart sore. I never wanted them to experience that and see that side of me,” he said.

Hill said he had moved to the area just four days before the incident happened. “I just got home and we going out to get bread and milk.”

One man has since been arrested and charged for attempted carjacking, attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

“I am happy that he has been arrested but to tell the truth I wish they found him dead somewhere as he pointed a gun to my son,” he said.

During the gunfight, Hill said he was also injured in the arm and on the knee.

“I am fine though now, and my children are receiving counselling.”

With his story drawing worldwide attention, a BackaBuddy campaign has also been set up for the father with more than R320 000 raised thus far.

Speaking about the campaign, the grateful father of four shook his head and said he never expected all this, but is grateful to everyone for the support.

“I did not plan for something like this to happen and I did not expect any of it. I can not believe that South Africa has come together like that, not only in South Africa but people from all over the world, I have no words to explain my gratitude.”

One of the neighbours who was the first to respond to the scene, Des Brown, said communities need a hero like Hill. 

“We can be united and be one nation, criminals need to know we will not always stand back, we need to look out for each other.”

He described his neighboourhood as a peaceful community with just petty crime.

“This is a second major incident, as a suspected hitman allegedly linked to multiple murder cases in the South Coast area was killed in a shoot-out with police on this road.”

Brown said he blocked the road with his car and called Blue Security.

“This came as a shock as it is a peaceful community and we have active patrollers, we look out for one another and there are cameras in all corners,” said Brown.

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Sanelisiwe Tsinde 2 minutes read Facebook X LinkedIn Tumblr Pinterest WhatsApp Telegram Share via Email Print Support local journalism Add The Citizen as a preferred source to see more from Network News in Google News and Top Stories.