Durban – A battered and bruised Durban bookkeeper was found unconscious by her son in her uMngeni Park complex in Durban North.
Sandra Snijders, 68, was assaulted on Tuesday morning. She was found at 5pm, said police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane.
Her son, Bram Snijders, said when she had not arrived for work, her boss tried phoning her and also sent her sister, who lives in Gauteng, an e-mail.
“When my aunt informed me, I rushed over to the house to find the door slightly ajar. I could not get hold of my mother on her cellphone.
“I called out her name a few times and then walked to the front of the house. I did not have the keys. I was shocked to see her lying on her stomach in the lounge,” Snijders said.
He climbed through the broken window her attacker used to get into the house.
“She had bruises all over her body. Her neck was swollen. A scan revealed that her skull was not fractured.
“I have not spoken to her yet because she is recovering and under medication,” Snijders said.
He said it was the third break-in at her complex in four days and nothing had been done to beef up security.
Snijders called it irresponsible that the complex had only fitted security measures after his mother was attacked.
“The entire house and each cupboard was ransacked. The house was a total mess. I am not sure what was taken.
“My father died in October, so my mom was adjusting to living alone. This is an uncalled for incident,” he said.
Kyle van Reenen, Marshall Security spokesperson, said the victim was found unresponsive and in a critical condition. Paramedics stabilised her and then took her to hospital.
A neighbour, in one of the complex’s 16 units, said the incident left them horrified and shaken.
She confirmed security was an issue and there were other burglaries.
The Community Police Forum (CPF) noted the sharp increase in burglaries in the area in the past two months.
Brian Daish, chairman of sub forum sector 3 Greenwood Park CPF, said there was little progress in arrests being made or follow-up from crime intelligence.
He said this would be addressed at their next meeting.
“We are becoming disheartened by the statistics appearing for our area. Nationally, statistics are also very alarming and I am afraid the term ‘crime is out of control’ is ringing all too true for most South Africans. We wish the victim a speedy recovery after her horrendous ordeal,” said Daish.