A 23-year-old woman died after she and her boyfriend were attacked and shot in their tent at a holiday resort in Centurion, Gauteng, on Friday.

Lizka Nell and her boyfriend Nicholas Wincento (25) were at the Hennopspride Lifestyle Resort when the incident occurred. Nell later succumbed to her injuries in the Potchefstroom Hospital after she was discharged from the Brits Provincial Hospital.

“We feel like we are having a nightmare and will still wake up,” says Lizka’s mother, Wanda. “It is still not real that my daughter is gone.”

The couple was in their tent shortly before midnight when the attackers tried to open the tent. “Nicholas got out of the tent and saw a group of men who shot him in the leg. When Lizka screamed from inside the tent, they fired random shots through the tent,” she explains.

Lizka was shot in the chest, abdomen and arm. Wincento was again shot in the leg and a bullet grazed his back. The attackers then fled.

The couple was rushed to Brits Provincial Hospital. “My husband, Barry, and I were at the hospital about 20 minutes later. X-rays were taken and the doctor told us they could not see any damage. Lizka and Nicholas were discharged four hours later with antibiotics, brufen and paracetamol,” Wanda explains.

Recovering in Randfontein

They took the couple to their home in Randfontein. “I cleaned Liska’s wounds on Saturday and she complained about pain in her abdomen. At midnight she said she couldn’t breathe. She was ice cold and we tried to warm her up and then rushed her to the Lenmed Private Hospital. Her blood pressure was extremely low and they stabilised her, saying she needed to be admitted. Because we don’t have medical aid, she was transported to Potchefstroom Provincial Hospital.”

Doctors at this hospital, according to Wanda, said they couldn’t see the damage on X-rays and had to operate. They, however, allegedly had to wait until load-shedding ended before they could operate.

“She was taken to the theatre around 22:00. Her colon and small intestines were damaged and had to be repaired but they could not complete the operation because she was too weak. She was taken to intensive care where she passed away on Monday morning.”

The North West Department of Health says a statement will be issued regarding the alleged negligent treatment of the couple at Brits Provincial Hospital.

Crime in resort’s area

The Hennopspride Lifestyle Resort said in a statement that they regret the incident and expressed condolences to family and friends.
The resort explained the fence was cut in two places on Friday night and a resident’s solar batteries were stolen.

“The robbers fled within minutes in a vehicle waiting for them outside the premises. We suspect the attack was part of an organised crime movement in our area. Crime in the area has been out of control for quite a while.”

The resort has three permanent guards who patrol the resort.

According to local police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, the police are investigating murder and attempted murder cases.

No arrests have been made.