Attempts to help backfire
COMING to the aid of a woman and a young man in distress has backfired on two Good Samaritans, costing one his life and leaving the other with stab wounds to her face, neck and torso.
The unrelated incidents have sent shock waves through two Durban communities.
On Sunday morning, Julian Poonsamy, 41, a financial manager from Berea, had walked in on his relatives, a Phoenix couple who were arguing outside their home in Stanmore, when he was stabbed to death.
The woman he was trying to save was stabbed in the head and arms – allegedly by her husband.
And last Thursday oThongathi (Tongaat) housewife was found lying in a pool of blood.
She had opened the doors of her home to a 21-year-old man who had allegedly been kicked out of his house by his parents. Her cellphone was stolen. In both incidents, the alleged perpetrators were arrested.
For the Phoenix killing, a 37-yearold man was charged with murder and attempted murder.
He is due to appear in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court this week.
A few selfies and memories are all Tersia Westley has left of her husband.
Describing the attack as senseless, she told POST that having the perpetrator rot in jail was the only thing that would bring her peace.
“Every Saturday my husband goes to Phoenix to play volleyball with his friends and afterwards he stops over at the house to visit the couple and their children. He arrived at the house at 1.30am and as he approached the house he heard them arguing.
“He left his bag with the woman and proceeded to his car.” She said that as he walked away he heard the woman scream. When he turned around he saw the man stabbing her in the head and arms.
“He ran to her aid and as he tried to scale the fence to help her, the man stabbed him in the neck. He fell to the ground and died at the scene.”
She said at around 2am she awoke after receiving a call from her father-in-law, Freddy Poonsamy.
“I was in shock. I got out of bed and drove to Phoenix. During the drive I reassured myself that he was fine and that he was not hurt badly.
“As I got to the house I saw the foil over his body and his blue takkies showing from under the foil. I just broke down.”
She said the police did not allow her to see him.
“Julian was a lovely person. He cared about everyone and always wanted to protect people in need. He loved his family very much,” she said.
“The couple always had problems and he was always called in by the woman to help.”
Westley said that although her husband had advised the woman to get a protection order and to leave her husband she never listened.
“The woman has apologised to me but no apology can bring my husband back. I am devastated. All I have now are memories and the last pictures he took moments before he died.”
Meanwhile, the oThongathi’s housewife’s blood-curdling screams as she was being stabbed left neighbours in a panic.
She was stabbed several times and the alleged culprit, a suspected drug addict whom she knew well, appeared in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on Monday on an attempted murder charge.
Her brother Cyril Pillay said the attack occurred at about 4.30pm.
“The suspect came to the house and she let him in. He told her that his parents had kicked him out of the house but did not say why.
“He asked for a plate of food and then went to the toilet while she was in the kitchen preparing something for him to eat.”
Pillay said when he was done in the toilet he went into the kitchen, grabbed a knife and stabbed her in her neck, face and body before fleeing with her cellphone.
“Her screams for help sent panic through the suburb and neighbours contacted security company Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) and the SAPS for help.”
Rusa boss Prem Balram said Pillay was found lying on the floor bleeding excessively.
“She had stab wounds to her face, neck and body. Rusa medics as well as a private doctor stabilised the victim before transporting her to hospital.”
Pillay said that since the attack his sister had become fearful and moved in with relatives.
“The suspect was always in and out of her home. She treated him and thought of him as her own.”
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane said a case of attempted murder was being investigated.