‘Crazed’ beggar stabs motorist six times
A USUALLY vigilant Durban motorist was stabbed six times in his legs by a “desperate” beggar who refused to take no for an answer.
Himal Singh, who works in his family’s pest control business, is recovering from his bloody encounter with the man, who has yet to be arrested.
Singh, 36, of Verulam, said his only crime was telling the beggar, who had asked for R2, that he had no change.
Singh was in his bakkie at the Palmview and Ottawa intersection near Phoenix last Tuesday night when he was attacked.
“I approached the red robot slowly braking, with my window half open, to the usual sight of a beggar at the four-way stop. His hands together, he approaches me saying R2 please, and I replied ‘Sorry no change’,” he said.
Singh said the beggar walked away to approach the next car while he waited for the traffic light to change. But a split second later, “he was right at my window asking me for my cellphone”.
“Thinking he was a pickpocket, I refused, but I did not know he had a knife right next to my face saying that he would poke me. My instinct was to immediately move left, away from the knife to avoid being stabbed in the neck or face,” he said. “But by moving my body left, both feet left the pedals, and I was unable to drive away. With my back on the passenger seat, I started kicking him through the driver’s side window with my safety boots on.”
Singh said with all the adrenalin and shock, he didn’t realise he was being stabbed.
“The beggar then pulled out the key from the ignition and I used that second to exit my vehicle through the passenger door, thinking that now I won’t be compromised to handle him. We walked towards each other and I landed a punch or two on him, not realising how badly I was stabbed. He then kicked me and I landed on the ground on my back again, kicking at him.”
Singh said he started screaming for help, and a motorist hooted at them asking what was happening. The beggar told him calmly that Singh had stolen his money.
“The motorist drove off probably thinking it was a personal squabble. The beggar then grabbed my cellphone and ran into the bushes. I looked down to see my overall pants soaking wet with blood, flowing like an opened tap.”
Singh said other motorists stopped to help him.
“An off-duty paramedic came to my aid to assist me, as well as a man by the name of Steven Mabaunga and Reaction Unit South Africa. I was taken to hospital. I sustained six stab wounds to my legs.”
Singh said his business required him to travel daily throughout the greater Durban area, and 30% of his work was done at night.
“My advice to motorists is to keep your guard up. Try your best to use the safest routes home, anywhere.”
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane said police were investigating.