IBF world flyweight champion Moruti "Baby Face" Mthalane nearly lost his life when his car was hijacked

Mthalane was on his way to his home in Bezvalley, Johannesburg, at about 6.45pm on Wednesday night when four men in a car overtook him and hit the brakes in front of him, forcing his white Honda Ballade to a screeching stop.

They allegedly jumped out, broke the window on the driver's side with a gun and pulled him out.

Three of them jumped into his car and sped away followed by their accomplice.

Mthalane's trainer and manager, Nick Durandt, said his charge was traumatised by the ordeal.

"He told me he had just put petrol in his car and was on his way home when this happened.

"After being stopped by a red traffic light he proceeded to go home when a car with four occupants came speeding from behind.

"They overtook him and hit the brakes in front of him. He was forced to also slam on his brakes and that's when three of them came out with guns and demanded that he get out of the car," Durandt said.

He said the thugs screamed at the boxer and demanded that he get out of the vehicle.

Despite the serious nature of the incident, Durandt still managed to see the lighter side of it. "I don't think they knew who they were hijacking!" he said with a slight chuckle.

Durandt himself has also been hijacked. "The sad thing is that with crime so rampant in this country we are all in danger. If it has not affected you yet, you are in the waiting line!"

Warrant officer Richard Munyai of the Jeppe police station said no arrests had been made and the police were investigating a hijacking.