Concerned about bringing up their children in crime-ravaged South Africa, Mr Griessel and his wife Elmien decided to sell their house and possessions in Pretoria, including his beloved tools, and move to New Zealand with their children.
During the carjacking, Mr Griessel was shot in the hip, knee, stomach and hand It was the type of experience the couple did not want their children Kayla and Jonathan exposed to.
A computer engineer by trade, Mr Griessel said he was "willing to try anything" to stay in a country he liked, but with the recession beginning to bite and no job offers forthcoming, the family had booked tickets back to South Africa.
Mr Griessel was moved to tears at the thought of starting again but the family, who arrived with only suitcases of clothes and no household items apart from a laptop, have few options, with their visitor permits due to expire in May.
Arriving in Auckland on February 12, the family moved to Oamaru and then to Dunedin.
However, the economic slowdown meant few firms were hiring, and unless Mr Griessel could obtain work his wife could not work and his children were unable attend school, he said.
Mr Griessel said he had experience working as a technician on eftpos, ATM and office equipment but was willing to work as "anything".
Both children said they were keen to attend nearby Kaikorai Valley College, with Jonathan a keen rugby player and Kayla interested in the performing arts.
The couple, who researched the country extensively before leaving South Africa, were impressed by New Zealand's beauty but were particularly taken by another feature - a comparatively low crime rate.
"We feel very safe here," Mrs Griessel said.
The couple admit that despite their research they were wrong not to have secured a job offer before leaving South Africa.
However, they vowed to return to New Zealand if they were unable to find work here this time.
"We love this place. We don't want to return [to South Africa]," Mrs Griessel said.
If you think you can help the Griessel family please email reporters@odt.co.nz.
