Terrified Mthatha woman in hiding after horrific axe attack

An Mthatha mother of four has fled her home in fear that her alleged assailant, who is still roaming the streets, may finish her off.

The alleged axe attack on the 37-year-old woman, who worked as a cook in Elliotdale to fend for her family, including siblings, has left her with scars on both arms, her head and neck.

Neither of her hands now works properly and a finger on her right hand was amputated in the attack.

The woman, from Viedgesville, who is still receiving physiotherapy and needs to undergo operations to fix her hands, fears she may not be able to work again. 

Police spokesperson Captain Welile Matyolo confirmed a case had been opened at the Mqanduli police station in March.

This was after she was discharged from hospital, where she spent weeks.

“Police are looking for the suspect and informers have been activated to locate him so he can be arrested,” Matyolo said.

“Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the suspect should contact Lieutenant-Colonel Ngqeleni at 083-984-4226. Callers may remain anonymous,” Matyolo said.

The victim, speaking to the Dispatch while in hiding, said she felt let down by the justice system.

The suspect was sentenced in August 2024 for assault and served time in Elliotdale and was later transferred to Mqanduli before his release in December.

The woman said while she, her children and a sibling were enjoying festivities on December 31 in Thuthwini village, the suspect … joined them and at about 10pm he had [allegedly] started assaulting her during a quarrel.

“He said he wanted to kill me,” she said.

“I managed to escape and ran to a neighbour’s house.

“The couple there tried to stop him from beating me.

“I managed to run away to another neighbour’s home, where I hid under a bed until the next morning.

“In the morning I went to the Mqanduli police station to open a case, but I was told to go to the clinic [without the case being opened] and when I got to the clinic I was told because I was not injured they could not do a J88 [ a formal medico-legal report completed by a healthcare professional] and I was advised to obtain a protection order against him when the court opened on January 3. 

“I went back to the village on January 2 to look for my children and found them at the neighbour’s home where I had hid under the bed.

“I called correctional services and told them he had assaulted me and they must come and get him.

“Two correctional services officers came and I told them what had happened and that he had threatened to kill me.

“They took him away in a bakkie and after 10 minutes the officials came back, saying he had escaped.

“After they left, he came and took an axe and [allegedly] started assaulting me.

“The children managed to run away and he [allegedly] hacked me and left me there to die.”

She was taken to Madwaleni Hospital in Elliotdale and later rushed to Bedford Hospital in Mthatha, where she spent weeks.

The woman said that while in hospital she had lost her younger brother, whom she had been taking care off. 

She was discharged on February 4. 

“I later went to open a case. So far I’ve been told the police cannot find him.

“I fear he may search and find me and kill me as he threatened.

“I say endless prayers for my safety as well as that of my children and siblings.

“I feel the justice system has failed me.

“If the correctional services took him back he would not have done this to me.

“My children are traumatised. They are not coping. We all need counselling. I’m healing physically but emotionally I’m broken. I thought I would die.

“I have responsibilities and need to work, but I cannot even bath myself.

“I never thought I would be like this. I want him to be arrested and sentenced.

“My fear is that he may hurt other people. I want correctional services to answer how he managed to escape.”

A relative, who did not want to be named, called for the speedy arrest of the suspect.

“She is the breadwinner in our family,” she said.

“Her being like this is heartbreaking.

“We live in fear now. We are always on edge.

“I’m asking that they intensify the search and arrest him,” she said.

Correctional service spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said they were searching for the man who had been serving an 18-month sentence.

He was released on parole on 31 December 2024.

Daily Dispatch 

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