Man stabbed to death over mattress

Nazeem Johnson was allegedly stabbed to death by a woman during an argument over a mattress. Photo: Daily Voice

Nazeem Johnson was allegedly stabbed to death by a woman during an argument over a mattress. Photo: Daily Voice

Published Jul 23, 2014

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Cape Town - A man was allegedly stabbed to death by a woman during an argument over a mattress.

It is alleged Nazeem Johnson, 30, was hit in the face with a sjambok before he was stabbed in his chest by a 50-year-old family friend.

Tragically, he did not make it to the hospital because the vehicle he was in ran out of petrol and stalled on the way.

It’s believed Nazeem and his alleged attacker Mariam Davids, 50, had been quarrelling since Saturday.

Relatives said Nazeem was upset about a mattress she supposedly took from his Netreg home without his permission.

“Hy het baklei oor sy slaapplek en nou is hy by sy finale rusplek (he fought over sleeping place and now he’s in his final resting place),” his aunt Farieda Majiet said.

“From what I was told, the argument started on Saturday already when Davids and her sons attacked him.

“Apparently she took a mattress from him which he wanted back.

“When I arrived at home on Sunday, people were already waiting for me to give me the news (of his death).

“He was stabbed after 12pm and someone rushed him to the hospital.

“On their way there, they got stuck because there was no petrol in the car.

“A woman then gave the driver R20 but before they could make it to hospital, Nazeem died in the car.”

Farieda says the driver called his wife to tell her Nazeem died in the car.

“The woman went to (Davids) and told her, ‘you just killed that man’,” Farieda said.

“My brothers arrived at the hospital and told police we are not going to lay charges.

“We believe it was an accident and maybe she didn’t mean to do it.

“We made peace with what happened and we forgive her.”

Eyewitnesses said Nazeem was sitting on a bakkie’s canopy when Davids allegedly hit him in the face.

As he covered his face, she allegedly stabbed him in the chest.

It’s alleged Davids wanted to stab him a second time but her daughter stopped her.

Davids handed herself in and was released on R1 000 bail on Tuesday.

When the Daily Voice visited Davids’ home on Tuesday, she denied taking the mattress.

“I told him to stop making trouble,” she said but declined to comment further.

Police are investigating a case of murder.

Daily Voice

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