A man tried to rob Bela de Sousa and her 20-year-old daughter Gabriela of their phones and wallets when he started attacking them.
Gabriela’s left hand was stabbed and severed three tendons.
She was operated on the next day and Dr Jaco Kriek was able to re-attach all severed ligaments.
“I am in a lot of pain and cannot sleep because I keep having bad dreams about the attack,” said Gabriela.
Bela and Gabriela had a good look at the man’s face and were able to identify him outside Lifestyle Shopping Centre on Saturday, March 20.
They called the Umhlali SAPS who happened to have a vehicle nearby and Sergeant Clinton Odayer arrested him on the spot.
The De Sousas said they were very impressed with the way Umhlali SAPS handled the case.
“We underestimated the police. They were on top form,” said Bela.
Beach security
With most businesses in Ballito relying on tourism to keep them going, Easter less than two weeks away, and news of this incident was national news, reaching as far as Portugal and England, the community is crying out for more beach security.
“Oh my goodness. What a terrible thing to happen. Ballito is such a beautiful place but the recent insurgence of beggars and vagrants are turning it into another typical SA town where the value of life and property are no longer of any consequence. It’s so sad,” said Barbara Barends on the Courier’s Facebook page, where a huge debate over safety in Ballito raged last week.
Ilembe Chamber CEO, Kobus Oelofse said the incident was very disappointing and that it was the kind of thing that affected Ballito’s ability to draw tourists.
He said the important question to ask was which way people turned on the N2 when they arrive at King Shaka Airport; left, or right?
“We have to look at who we are competing with and learn from how they have managed to handle things there,” said Oelofse.
Umhlali SAPS’s Lt Col Dieter Fittkau believes the efficacy of a Urban Improvement Precinct programme would sort these problems out.
Ballito Neighbourhood Watch’s (BNW) operations support manager, Candice Henderson said the vagrants living under the boardwalk and in big storm water pipes were a big part of the problem.
“We have vagrants using the boardwalk because it is open and easy to use,” said Henderson.
She said the storm water pipes provide perfect protection from the elements and the municipality needs to barricade it to keep people out.
Henderson added that visible policing would also help.
Pat Magqintha is KwaDukuza municipality’s slums clearance officer and he said it was Ballito ward six councillor Colin Marsh’s job to request that the pipes be barricaded.
“I have the authority to tell people who occupy and use municipal facilities without authorisation to leave. If they continue to stay, I have to call the SAPS crime prevention unit to remove them.”
Fittkau said he has never received a request for assistance in this regard.
Marsh said the attack was a wake-up call for everybody.
He said criminals are opportunistic and people must be aware of their surroundings and not wear expensive jewelry at the beach.
“More patrols are needed but there is a shortage of manpower. The UIP will make a big difference,” said Marsh.
Henderson said the BNW intends to extend their neighbourhood patrol to the promenade until things improve.
