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Cape Town – Chad Saaiman, the singer who was shot in a botched hijacking in Johannesburg on June 5, has spoken out for the first time since the incident.
In a telephone interview with Cape Town radio station Kfm's Ryan O'Connor, Saaiman expressed how he has been humbled by the ordeal.
"I've been so humbled by the experience, the opportunity to be alive. All the prayers, all the love, I'm just so grateful that I'm here."
Saaiman continued: "I'm still in a lot of pain."
Later in the interview O'Connor said he was "amazed" at how much love Saaiman had taken out of the experience as opposed to feeling bitter about the country.
Living testimony
Saaiman responded: "I've always been about creating a positive influence, promoting faith and hope, and after this experience it doesn't make me sour at all.
"It makes me even happier to be alive. And even happier to be able to tell the story of what I've been through and just to be a living testimony you know?
"Because so many people go through it, you're right, but not so many people get the opportunity to speak about it on a high enough level that it can actually affect people."
The interview concluded with Saaiman thanking everyone in Cape Town for their support, saying: "My family was here keeping me up to speed... I just want to say thank you one more time from the bottom of my heart."
Saaiman was shot after an attempted hijacking on Louis Botha Avenue in Johannesburg on June 5. He spent a week recovering in hospital.
There are fears that his singing career may be affected by the incident because the bullet pierced his diaphragm.
Listen to a recording of the interview here.
In a telephone interview with Cape Town radio station Kfm's Ryan O'Connor, Saaiman expressed how he has been humbled by the ordeal.
"I've been so humbled by the experience, the opportunity to be alive. All the prayers, all the love, I'm just so grateful that I'm here."
Saaiman continued: "I'm still in a lot of pain."
Later in the interview O'Connor said he was "amazed" at how much love Saaiman had taken out of the experience as opposed to feeling bitter about the country.
Living testimony
Saaiman responded: "I've always been about creating a positive influence, promoting faith and hope, and after this experience it doesn't make me sour at all.
"It makes me even happier to be alive. And even happier to be able to tell the story of what I've been through and just to be a living testimony you know?
"Because so many people go through it, you're right, but not so many people get the opportunity to speak about it on a high enough level that it can actually affect people."
The interview concluded with Saaiman thanking everyone in Cape Town for their support, saying: "My family was here keeping me up to speed... I just want to say thank you one more time from the bottom of my heart."
Saaiman was shot after an attempted hijacking on Louis Botha Avenue in Johannesburg on June 5. He spent a week recovering in hospital.
There are fears that his singing career may be affected by the incident because the bullet pierced his diaphragm.
Listen to a recording of the interview here.
