HLAYISEKA Mkhabela (24) escaped death in a vicious attack by a group of young armed men.
His left eye was left permanently damaged after being stabbed with a broken beer bottle.
He said he was on his way home from boozing with friends when a gang of young men cornered him at Gottenburg Village, Bushbuckridge, on Saturday, 3 September, at about 2am.
The gang beat him with sticks until he fell to the ground.
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He begged them not to take his life, but they stabbed him in the eye with a broken beer bottle, leaving him to die.
“I had a fight with four young men while boozing at the tavern.
“I thought the fight was over when we separated.
“But they ambushed and attacked me on my way home.
“They beat me with sticks in the arms, legs, back and in the head until I fell down.
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“Then they stabbed me with a broken beer bottle in the eye before running away.
“I spent a week at Rob Ferreira Hospital in Mbombela after being transferred from Tintswalo Hospital in Acornhoek.
“Doctors confirmed that my eye has been permanently damaged,” he said.
Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said four suspects were arrested on 9 September regarding the case.
He said it will now be challenging for him to continue with his studies at technical studiesEhlanzeni TVET College.
