Durban - A Phoenix teenager is recovering at home after being stabbed three times during a robbery in Greenbury on Friday.
Gresham Nadasan, 15, a grade 10 Greenbury Secondary School was walking to the tuckshop two doors away from his grandmother’s home when he was confronted by three men.
His mother Ashana Nadasan said, at first one of the men stopped him and asked him for directions. She said the robber had a mask on his face and pretended to be drunk.
“When he saw the man reach in his pocket he felt something was wrong. My son wanted to run but the guy pushed him back. The others grabbed him from the back and took his phone from his pocket. They stabbed him thrice,” Nadasan said.
His relative Criton Dhanapalan said it could have been worse.
Gresham was discharged from Mt Edgecombe Private hospital after receiving stitches to his wounds
Dhanapalan said a car was parked on Ruston place for a while before the robbery. He suspected the robbers had been scouting the area.
“The cold weather caused residents to close their doors and windows and stay indoors. Nobody was aware of what happened. Gresham takes care of his granny. He is still in shock. He requires trauma counselling. He thought they had punched him. When he got home his granny noticed bloodstains on his shirt. His stab wound on the shoulder required four stitches. He was nicked on the chest and back with the blade of the knife," Dhanapalan said.
The robbers took his Samsung phone which the family had worked hard to purchase. The phone was used for Gresham's schoolwork, research and to submit assignments.
"It’s all gone," Dhanapalan said.
Phoenix police had attended the scene but due to the station being closed for decontamination a docket was not opened. They advised the family to open a case on Monday.