An Eastern Cape man has walked out of hospital three weeks after he was left for dead in the bush after being shot at close range, stabbed 38 times and both arms broken.
He lay in excruciating pain for 14 hours before being found and rushed to hospital.
Thandinkosi Maseti of Cofimvaba was attacked on New Year’s Eve after giving a female hitch-hiker a lift. At the time he had been driving home from a family dinner.
He said he was attacked by a group of men, who emerged from a bushy area as he was helping the woman into his vehicle.
After the near-death ordeal, Maseti had to spend three weeks at Frere Hospital recuperating.
In addition to the stab wounds, he also sustained a wound to his forehead after being grazed by the bullet fired at close range.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Maseti said he was lucky to be alive.
“I don’t know what I did to come out of that alive. I told myself that in one way or another I was going to die.
“I was waiting for that moment but deep inside I was praying,” he said.
“ I bled from 7.20pm to the early hours of the following morning. At one stage I passed out as my body was in excruciating pain.” He was dumped near a road.
In a second incident, a female teacher was hijacked on January 13 near Cofimvaba and her bullet-riddled body later found near Cala forest.
Police recovered both vehicles in Johannesburg last month. Three men and two women were arrested in connection with the two hijackings.
Yesterday, Eastern Cape provincial police spokesman, Lieutenant Khaya Tonjeni, said the suspects – Mzikayise Majezi, 38; Sindile Mayisela, 22; Mbulelo Mlonjana, 23; Nokuphiwo Dingayo, 21, and Sinalo Matanzima, 19 – have been charged with two counts of hijacking, murder, attempted murder and robbery.
They appeared briefly in the Cofimvaba Magistrate’s Court and their case postponed to February 12 for a formal bail application.
Maseti said the incident had left a “deep scar” psychologically that would not heal easily.
“I was helping a stranded woman, the next thing I found myself fighting for my life in hospital.
“When I woke up the following day, I heard people talking and I managed to yell from the bush and they managed to help me get to Glen Grey hospital.
“I was then transferred to Frere in East London,” he said.
He said all his attackers were armed with knives and firearms.
— bonganif@dispatch.co.za
Knife attack victim lives to tell tale
He lay in excruciating pain for 14 hours before being found and rushed to hospital.
Thandinkosi Maseti of Cofimvaba was attacked on New Year’s Eve after giving a female hitch-hiker a lift. At the time he had been driving home from a family dinner.
He said he was attacked by a group of men, who emerged from a bushy area as he was helping the woman into his vehicle.
After the near-death ordeal, Maseti had to spend three weeks at Frere Hospital recuperating.
In addition to the stab wounds, he also sustained a wound to his forehead after being grazed by the bullet fired at close range.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Maseti said he was lucky to be alive.
“I don’t know what I did to come out of that alive. I told myself that in one way or another I was going to die.
“I was waiting for that moment but deep inside I was praying,” he said.
“ I bled from 7.20pm to the early hours of the following morning. At one stage I passed out as my body was in excruciating pain.” He was dumped near a road.
In a second incident, a female teacher was hijacked on January 13 near Cofimvaba and her bullet-riddled body later found near Cala forest.
Police recovered both vehicles in Johannesburg last month. Three men and two women were arrested in connection with the two hijackings.
Yesterday, Eastern Cape provincial police spokesman, Lieutenant Khaya Tonjeni, said the suspects – Mzikayise Majezi, 38; Sindile Mayisela, 22; Mbulelo Mlonjana, 23; Nokuphiwo Dingayo, 21, and Sinalo Matanzima, 19 – have been charged with two counts of hijacking, murder, attempted murder and robbery.
They appeared briefly in the Cofimvaba Magistrate’s Court and their case postponed to February 12 for a formal bail application.
Maseti said the incident had left a “deep scar” psychologically that would not heal easily.
“I was helping a stranded woman, the next thing I found myself fighting for my life in hospital.
“When I woke up the following day, I heard people talking and I managed to yell from the bush and they managed to help me get to Glen Grey hospital.
“I was then transferred to Frere in East London,” he said.
He said all his attackers were armed with knives and firearms.
— bonganif@dispatch.co.za
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