Man critical after attack in Kwazakhele

A GROUP of five men attacked people offloading furniture at a house in Kwazakhele yesterday morning.

One person was critically wounded when he was shot four times and another was stabbed in the arm before the suspects fled.

Police on the scene said three men and two women had arrived at the house in Ngwendu Street with a bakkie and trailer loaded with furniture as part of a delivery contract with the JD Group.

The two women were the daughter and wife of the man who was in charge of the delivery paperwork.

Police spokesman Captain Andre Beetge said the five armed men had run up to them while the furniture was being offloaded.

“At that stage, the owner of the house was assisting one of the men to carry a couch into the house,” he said.

“When they spotted the suspects running at them, the two men dropped the couch and ran inside. Two of the other people were already inside the house doing the paperwork.”

Beetge said a delivery company employee, 41, had had a firearm on him and stayed outside when the men charged at him.

“He was shot multiple times in the upper body. During the incident, a 48-year-old neighbour was also stabbed in the arm,” Beetge said.

While the motive for the attack might initially have been hijacking or robbery, the attackers had retaliated when they met resistance and fled without taking anything.

“The only details on hand are what was heard by the owner and the other workers inside the house,” he said.

The wounded man is in a critical condition in hospital.