“I tried to stop him from stabbing my sister with the knife.” These were the words of Dimakatso Phiri (24), the younger sister of Malefu Phiri (31), whose ex-boyfriend allegedly almost stabbed her to death.
Malefu says she was at work at around 10:00 on 7 May, when she received a call from an unknown number. It was her ex- boyfriend. According to her, he called to say he wanted to give her the child maintenance for their 16-month-old baby girl. She refused his offer, however, as she had been supporting their child and had blocked his number.
At around 19:00, Malefu was at her home in Baipei, Sonderwater when he allegedly called her from another number and asked her to come outside so they could talk.
Malefu agreed but said she wasn’t sure what to expect, so she maint- ained her distance. He then asked to see his daughter, but she said it was already dark and she couldn’t allow him. The two continued talking about their daughter, but they started arguing and she then turned her back on him.
“As I walked away, I felt something stab me. When I looked back, he knifed me a second time,” said Malefu.
She tried to run into her house but tripped and fell face-first onto the ground, while he continued to stab her. She turned around to defend herself, but he thrust the knife into her arms.
Malefu called out for her younger sister, Dimakatso. When she came outside, she saw her sister crawling towards her while the man was still stabbing her.
Dimakatso, who is pregnant, ran towards her sister and, fell on top of her. The man allegedly continued stabbing, however. Luckily, she and her unborn baby were not injured.
Their neighbour came to their rescue and managed to stop the man, but he then fled.
“I was so weak; I felt no pain. All I felt like doing was falling asleep,” Malefu explains.
As soon as she got free, she ran to her home and collapsed as she entered.
Her 13-year-old daughter ran to their family’s home to tell them what had happened. They got Malefu to Boiki-Tlhapi Clinic, where she was transported to Potchefstroom Hospital for further medical attention.
At the hospital, they stitched her wounds and quickly drained the blood from her lungs.
Malefu says she and her ex- boyfriend have been separated for at least 18 months. During that time, she had already registered two protection orders against him for harassment.
Since her release from the hospital, Malefu says she fears that he might return to hurt her, kidnap their daughter or even the 13-year-old.
“I’m even scared to go back to my shack. When I go to bed, I check that they (her family members) lock the door. I sometimes mistake the trees for his shadow,” she added.
Magdeleine Ramalatso, a close family friend, offered to help take care of Malefu after she was dis-charged. She said it was by God’s grace that Malefu was still alive and that Dimakatso and her baby weren’t hurt. “Not everyone would survive 19 stab wounds,” she marvelled.
Sgt Kelebogile Trom, the police spokesperson, says the case was initially opened as a charge of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm. However, due to the stab wounds Malefu sustained, it was changed to attempted murder. “The suspect has not yet been arrested and the investigation is ongoing,” she stated.
Malefu thanked the staff at Boiki-Tlhapi and Potchefstroom Hospital, who helped her.
She pleads with anyone who might know of the suspect’s whereabouts to contact the police.
