Veteran Zimbabwean midfielder Willard Katsande considers himself very lucky to be alive.

Salt and Vinegar, as he is affectionately known in South Africa where he turns out for Sekhukhune United in the DStv Premiership, was hijacked by three men near Southgate Mall in Soweto last Tuesday.

The 33-year-old midfield enforcer was with his nephew, Kelvin Katsande (22) when the three men pounced on them around 18:00.

Katsande says it was a horrific experience.

“We were near Southgate Mall, I was standing outside the car, and my nephew was inside,” Katsande narrated the ordeal to South African publication FarPost.

“Three men came to us with guns; they aggressively put me down. They dragged me on my knees on the tar; I have bruises from the dragging.

“I could feel the barrel of a gun at the back of my head and thought that was the end of my life. The other one pulled me with my private parts. It was a horrific experience,” added the former Warriors skipper.

Johannesburg has become a very unsafe place for Zimbabwean football stars.

Katsande was also hijacked and left injured in West Rand, a year ago.

His former Kaizer Chiefs teammate Khama Billiat, was robbed at gunpoint twice in the last five years.

Former national team defender Charles Yohane was murdered in a hijacking incident back in February.- Soccer 24 Zimbabwe