A 67-year-old man from Smero in Edendale, Pietermaritzburg, is counting his blessings after surviving a traumatic armed robbery at his home in which several of his goats were stolen.

Mandla Xaba told The Witness that he was woken in the early hours of Wednesday by a noise coming from his goat kraal.

“I went outside to check. One of the robbers, standing at the corner of the house, grabbed me. He pointed a gun at me. I tried to grab it, but I was overpowered. He hit me twice on the head with it,” he said.

Xaba said a second robber then joined in, and he overheard one of them saying: “This dog is stubborn. He should be killed.”

“I was told to lie face down and not look at them. I still don’t know how I survived. I think it’s because of my faith. I am grateful to God and my ancestors,” he said.

Among the four goats that were stolen, two are pregnant.

“This incident has left me devastated. I had just purchased these goats last Sunday,” said Xaba.

He estimated the value of the stolen livestock at about R17 500, saying he had turned to goat farming to support himself financially during hard times.

“Two vans were parked outside my house, which were used by these heartless thieves to load my goats. All I want is for my goats to be found,” he said.

uMgungundlovu SAPS spokesperson Sergeant Sifiso Gwala confirmed that a case of armed robbery has been opened for investigation.

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