Raymond Tyack (51), a teacher from Eloff in Delmas, Mpumalanga, might lose his right eye after he was assaulted during a smallholding attack on August 27 at around 23:30.

Tyack, a teacher at Nesher Private School, told Streeknuus he was in bed when he was awakened by a noise, which sounded like a “clunk sound.”

“I initially thought that it was my housemate returning from Pretoria. I asked her if she was back, but then heard someone running away.”

Tyack realised that something was seriously wrong. He arose and found two broken windows and the security gate was open.

“I closed the security gate and eventually went back to bed.”

According to Tyack, he shouted at the attackers but they kept coming back to fiddle with the security gate.

“Strangely, there were no signs of damage to the security gate. I have no idea how they managed to open the gate. However, a crowbar was found on the scene.”

Tyack eventually went outside and encountered his two attackers face to face.

“I asked then what they wanted. The perpetrators demanded money and my cellphone.”

Tyack told the attackers that he does not keep money on the premises. A struggle ensued and Tyack was severely assaulted with a piece of concrete.

“I suffered several blows with the concrete block. I was bleeding profusely. The two attackers fled at some stage.”

Tyack told Streeknuus the whole ordeal was very confusing and that the attackers never actually entered the house.

Bleeding and confused, Tyack, then without a cellphone, was not sure what to do next.

“I decided to wait for Shaun and Lizette van Onselen because they were set to pick me up for church at around 08:45 on Sunday morning.”

Lizette is the principal at Nesher Private School and Tyack lives on the Van Onselens’ smallholding on Road Five in Eloff, adjacent to the school.

Upon arrival, Shaun immediately contacted the police. According to Lizette, the Sundra Police arrived within half an hour.

“The police were very accommodating and even the forensics investigators were on the scene in no time,” said Lizette.

Tyack sustained injuries to his shoulder blade, his wrist and his head and he has bruises and cuts all over his body.

However, at the moment his eye is his main concern. Tyack sustained a blow to his right eye. He received treatment at the Witbank Hospital and on September 5 he was admitted to the hospital in an attempt to flush the blood from his eye.

At the time of going to print, Tyack told Streeknuus that he is blind in his right eye.

“Where there should be fluid behind my eyeball, there is only blood. The veins are bleeding profusely. I have to go back to the hospital within two weeks so that doctors can determine the damage.”

Tyack was discharged from the Witbank Hospital on September 6.

“The doctors told me that there is a 50% chance that I will regain sight in my right eye.”

Tyack has not yet begun to process the trauma and shock.

“I will probably happen at some stage, but right now I am only thinking and dealing with the blindness in my eye.”

According to Shaun, they have had burglaries on the premises in and around Nesher Private School.

Tyack thanked the Van Onselens for their support during this difficult time.

“I also wish to thank my dear friend, Carel van der Merwe from Middelburg, for driving me to and from the hospital. I do appreciate it very much.”

At the time of publication, no arrests have yet been made. The Sundra Police are investigating the case.