POLOKWANE – Staring death in the face, William Nkoana and his wife’s only fear was that their children would grow up without their parents when two men, both armed with firearms, broke into their home at around 22:00 recently.

“We were sleeping and they came into our bedroom. One of the men shot my wife in her upper body. They told us to stay in bed and not to move. The men kept on saying they were going to kill us and after they shot my wife we knew they were serious. They demanded money, jewellery and clothes. We did not have much money with us; there was about R300 and the men were very upset about this and demanded more money. When I said there was no more money one of the men shot me in the arm,” Nkoana said.

He added that the men took their bank cards and threatened to kill them if they did not give them the pins.

“We feared that the men would kill us and so we gave them the pins.

‘The men kept on saying they were going to kill us and after they shot my wife we knew they were serious’

To make sure the bank card pins were correct, one of the men stayed behind and the other left to withdraw money at an ATM. It was a very traumatising experience for me and my wife. Our children are still very young. I am just thankful to the Lord, that the children were sleeping at their grandmother’s house that night,” Nkoana said.

After withdrawing an undisclosed amount of money, the man returned to the house, according to Nkoana.

“They took what they wanted and left with our car. We immediately called the police and they responded quickly. The police found our vehicle abandoned in Ga-Makanye (near Modjadjiskloof),” Nkoana said.

The couple was taken to hospital for medical attention and were discharged three days later.

Mankweng police spokesperson, Const Matimba Maluleke, said two cases are being investigated by the Mankweng police.

“We are investigating a case of attempted murder and house robbery. No arrests have been made yet,” Maluleke confirmed.

Anyone with information that can help the police with their investigation to contact the Mankweng police station at (015) 286 2000 or the investigating officer, Lt Col Mike Mashabane at 082 565 9167.

In another incident, the Westenburg police are investigating a case of house robbery after robbers broke into a house on the corner of Ankara and Lawton Street in Nirvana.

The incident happened at 02:00 last Friday morning.

The suspects took cellphones, an undisclosed amount of money and a suitcase filled with clothes, Westenburg police spokesperson, Capt Mohlaka Mashiane, said.

No one was hurt during the robbery and no arrests had been made as yet. Anyone with information in this regard can contact the nearest police station.