Young man attacked, left for dead
A young man from Harmony Park in Pacaltsdorp, Maximilian (Max) Reimann (20), has been admitted to Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town after he was viciously attacked in the early hours of Saturday morning, 27 August. The severely injured man, who was allegedly attacked by eight other men and left for dead, was found in Kerk Street by a resident, Charlotte Edwards, on her way to work on Saturday morning at about 08:00. This is most probably what saved his life.
Edwards alerted authorities and Reimann was transported to George Hospital. According to her he was nearly hypothermic when she found him and his clothes were torn off. “I put my jacket over him to keep him warm until the ambulance arrived. The blood was pouring from his face and he was so beat-up that he couldn’t see through his eyes. He didn’t know where he was,” she said.
Reimann, who is well known in the area as a kind-hearted and friendly young man, underwent surgery yesterday morning, Wednesday 31 August, for extensive damage and fractures to his face and back. By the time of going to print, he was still in the operating theatre. His mother is with him in Cape Town.
“We can only thank Charlotte [Edwards] for finding him. If it wasn’t for her, our son could’ve been dead,” said Reimann’s father, Martin.
“My wife and I also want to thank the staff at George Hospital for taking such good care of him and looking after him so well. They really did a sterling job and we are immensely grateful for this.”
It is believed that Reimann was attacked by a gang while he and some friends were walking home from a night club. “They do this, these gangs. They wait outside the clubs and attack and rob people. The gangs are taking over Pacaltsdorp,” said Edwards.
Since the attack, a request for prayer for Reimann has been circulating on various social media platforms.
Another attack
George Herald also received information of an unrelated attack on two men in Ismael Street that same night.
According to unconfirmed information, two young men sustained stab wounds, one to the chest and one to the chin, after they were attacked by a group of young men while sitting at a fire outside a house. By the time of going to print, no more details surrounding the incident could be confirmed and
no complaints in this regard were registered at the police office.
Violence in Wilderness
A man from Wilderness Heights was arrested on a charge of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm after a panga attack on a 59-year-old victim from the same area on Sunday 28 August.
According to Southern Cape police spokesperson, Sgt Chris Spies, the 22-year-old suspect was arrested shortly after the incident, which occurred at the victim’s home just after 17:00 that afternoon.
After the attack, that left the victim with a serious head injury, the suspect made off with an axe belonging to the victim. Details surrounding his court appearance still have to be confirmed.
Reports of a stabbing on the same day in Remskoen Street near the informal settlement in Wilderness Heights have also reached George Herald.
It is believed that the victim, a Malawian national, was walking next to the road when he was accosted and stabbed by an unknown number of suspects. He was robbed of his cellphone and the attackers fled on foot. The victim, who sustained multiple stab wounds, was taken to hospital where he was operated on for fear of damage to his organs.
By the time of going to print, no more information regarding this incident could be confirmed.