Knife attack won’t get sergeant down

GEORGE NEWS - Sgt Etienne Appels (42), who believes he has been given a second chance in life after surviving a serious knife attack in the line of duty, says the horrific experience will not get him down.

Appels, a member of the Conville Crime Prevention unit, was stabbed just below his neck by a convicted rapist on parole, Reagan Heyns (29), on Saturday 6 August.

The sergeant has since undergone two operations to fix the damage to vital arteries. The medical team also had to insert a stent to keep an artery open.

Speaking to George Herald from his hospital bed on Tuesday 9 August, Appels said everything happened extremely fast after he and his colleagues arrived in Lawaaikamp where three men were involved in a brawl.

During a scuffle the suspect fell to the ground, landing on his stomach. As Appels bent down, the man turned around and stabbed him. "I could feel the blade piercing my skin. Blood immediately started streaming from the wound," he said.

"My first thought was that God must please spare my life. I kept thinking about by wife and kids, asking God to spare me."

Within seconds his colleagues were by his side and he asked one of them to call an ambulance while he applied pressure to the wound with his right hand. Metro emergency services arrived shortly after they were summonsed, and rushed Appels, who remained conscious, to hospital.

During his first operation later that night, doctors discovered damage to vital arteries. He was taken to ICU and sedated before he was taken back to the theatre the following day (Sunday) for more surgery.

'I will move on'

Appels, who will be off work for some time, says he will give his body the time it needs to heal, but will be happy when he is able to return to his duties.

He joined the police service 15 years ago. He worked at the Conville police station for 11 years and for six of those, he was a member of the Crime Prevention Unit.

"What's happened won't deter me doing my work as I have always done," he said. "I'm fortunate to be able to put something like this behind me and move on. Nothing will get me down. I also know how lucky I am to be alive. Things could have turned out so differently if the knife went in a few millimetres higher. For now I'll give myself time, as that is what is needed to work through what has happened and for my body to recover."

His wife Chrisdelle, says the first few days were exceptionally stressful but she knew she had to be strong for her family. "The weekend was difficult, but we prayed. So many people prayed for Etienne to pull through after I posted the severity of his condition on Facebook on Sunday morning. I would like to thank each and every person for their prayers," she said.

Appels is grateful to his colleagues who came to his aid and to Metro Emergency Services for their swift action. He also praises Mediclinic George's ICU and general ward personnel, with a huge thank you to Dr Ariel Eyal, the surgeon. At the time of going to print yesterday, Wednesday 10 August, Appels was still in hospital, but it was hoped that he would be released later the same day.

Garden Route District Commissioner, Major-General Norman Modishana (right) and acting Vispol Commander Lt Col Lionel Kennedy (left), visited Appels earlier this week.

Suspect fled

The stabbing happened in Melford Notshokovo Street, Lawaaikamp. Southern Cape police spokesperson, Sgt Chris Spies, says after stabbing Appels the suspect fled the scene on foot in the direction of Thembalethu, where he was later arrested by reinforcements deployed in the area.

He appeared in the George Magistrate's Court on Monday 8 August and the case was postponed to Wednesday 17 August for a formal bail application. He remains in custody.

Rapist on parole

Regional communications coordinator for the Department of Correctional Services Candice van Reenen confirmed that the suspect was sentenced to 20 years for rape in 2012, but served only half of his sentence .

"He has been on parole since February this year. The department intends to revoke his parole and he is expected to reappear before the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board within the next 14 days," she said.

Appels was fighting for his life over the weekend as friends and loved ones prayed for his recovery.