Patrick Molebatsi (46) is just happy to be alive after he miraculously survived about 20 AK47 bullets fired into his vehicle during the Village Mall robbery on Friday.

“When the fire started from all directions, I just fell down onto the seat and prayed,” he told the Kormorant.

Patrick, who has been a security officer with PWV Security for the past 10 years, was on a regular patrol on Friday morning just before 05:00. At the circle near the Village Mall, Patrick spotted a person in the bushes. I stopped and pointed the vehicle’s spotlight on the person. I was about to get out to ask if he needed help. Just then a black BMW entered the circle. The BMW made a U-turn and then bullets rained on me from all sides. It seemed to come from everywhere. Even from the man I wanted to help.”

More than 10 bullets entered the rear window behind the driver’s seat, some through the doors, and others through the engine into the cabin. Not a single one hit Patrick! “The bullets just kept coming. I think they wanted to make sure I was dead. I just kept praying they would finish and leave. By that time the smoke was coming from my vehicle’s engine.” When the shooting stopped, Patrick waited for a while and then came up carefully. The police and other security services arrived soon after. “The police wanted to know where the driver of my vehicle was, and if he was taken to hospital. When I told them it was me, they said it could not be,” Patrick laughed.

“It was lucky that I was alone. If there was someone with me, he, or both of us, would be dead. I am just glad I was well-trained and taught to think quickly. I was shot at before, but that was nothing compared to this. God is great!” The security vehicle sustained such extensive damage that it will probably be written off.

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Patrick has been a security officer for the past 20 years. “I was a police reservist and then I joined the security industry. I know my job is dangerous but I love helping people. This is my passion.”