Ladysmith KZN: A well-known 79-year-old driving school instructor, Mr Shorty Harilal, was attacked on Thursday morning (August 27) in his teaching area near Van Riebeeck Park.

It is believed that Mr Harilal got out of the vehicle to set one of the poles, with his learner driver still in the vehicle. When he was outside the car, a man ran towards him with a knife.

The suspect grabbed him and held the knife to his throat. Mr Harilal tried to protect himself by putting his hand between the blade and his neck.

The attacker then wrestled Mr Harilal to the ground, demanding cash from the senior citizen. Luckily, the learner driver Mr Harilal was teaching ran to the road and started flagging down vehicles to come to their assistance.

By this time, the attacker had ransacked Mr Harilal’s vehicle, stealing his cell-phone and money.

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Mr Harilal got up from the ground to see that the robber had fled the scene and run into nearby bush.The senior citizen sustained a major cut to his left hand and needed urgent medical attention.

Paramedics, police and Public Safety officers rushed to the scene, but the attacker was nowhere to be found.

Mr Harilal was treated for the cut on his hand and the learner driver was treated for shock.

Both of them had to be taken to hospital for further medical treatment.

Mr Harilal has since undergone surgery to his hand and is recovering at home. The family would like to thank the police, Public Safety and paramedics from a local private ambulance service for assisting them.

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