Cape Town - Two weeks after he was stabbed in his car on the N2, rugby referee Shaun Veldsman returned to duty on Monday for the Varsity Cup fixture between Stellenbosch University and the University of Johannesburg.
Veldsman, a TMO (television match official), was attacked in his bakkie. He was on his way home from officiating a Super Rugby match between the Stormers and the Blues at Newlands.
He was stabbed in the shoulder and his lung was punctured after an unknown man smashed his window. He was admitted to the Stellenbosch Medi Clinic, where his punctured lung had to be drained.
Veldsman said on Monday he felt positive about officiating the intervarsity contest and would also be officiating Saturday’s match between the Stormers and the Chiefs at Newlands - something he looked forward to.
“I am usually very alert but something like this could have happened to anybody. I have no hard feelings about what happened. While I was in hospital I decided I wanted to be back on my feet within two weeks.”
Veldsman said what happened to him would not prevent him from living a normal life.
While in hospital he was inundated with wishes from around the world, but it was especially the support he got from South Africans that touched him.
“I am still busy replying to all the well wishes I received. I never realised how many people, especially South Africans, cared so much,” he said.
Police spokesman André Traut said a case of robbery with a weapon was being investigated and no suspects had been arrested.
Cape Times