AfriForum proto-team member saves himself and others during armed robbery

On the afternoon of 23 September, an armed robber accosted an AfriForum proto-team member and other individuals in Bronkhorstspruit and robbed them of their belongings. During the incident, the team member ultimately succeeded in defusing the situation and ensuring his own safety as well as that of the people with him.

The proto-team member and the other victims were standing by his car chatting after work when the suspect arrived and pointed his weapon at them. He forced the victims to empty their pockets and looked for items to steal from the vehicle. The proto-team member remained calm, complied with the suspect’s orders, and monitored the situation until an opportunity to act arose.

The suspect momentarily let his guard down to see what he could steal from the vehicle, allowing the reaction team member to draw his weapon and order the robber to put his gun down. The suspect initially refused and kept his weapon trained on the other victims, compelling the reaction team member to fire a shot. The suspect was wounded, and his firearm was seized and made safe.

The proto-team member ensured that the suspect was transported to a hospital so that his wound could be treated, after which the South African Police Service (SAPS) was called to handle the matter further.

According to Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum’s Chief Spokesperson on Community Safety, this incident is practical proof of why proper training for community safety volunteers is essential.

“This member found himself in a life-threatening situation where a single wrong decision could have had serious consequences. He remained calm, continuously assessed the situation, and acted only when it became necessary to protect lives. After the shooting, he brought the threat under control, made the firearm safe, and even ensured that the wounded suspect received medical treatment. This is precisely the kind of discipline and judgment we aim to instill in our members through training.”

AfriForum has already trained more than 500 proto-team members as part of its nationwide network of 177 neighbourhood and farm watches. This training prepares volunteers to act as first responders during serious and violent incidents.

“Community safety volunteers are often confronted with dangerous situations long before the police or other emergency services can arrive at the scene. Therefore, we cannot expect volunteers to tackle this reality with good intentions alone. They must be properly trained, equipped, and prepared,” says Broodryk.

“This incident demonstrates why we invest in training. When seconds can mean the difference between life and death, one must still be able to make the right decisions under immense pressure. Well-trained community safety members are a vital part of the fight against crime and of communities’ ability to protect themselves,” concludes Broodryk.