Nanny tells of couple’s brutal attack

Veronique Kanda a nanny who was beaten by kidnappers is recovering at home where her daughters Grace Kanda (15) and Sarah Kanda (12) are helping him as she can't walk or feed herself due to her injuries.938 Picture: Matthews Baloyi 1/14/2013

Veronique Kanda a nanny who was beaten by kidnappers is recovering at home where her daughters Grace Kanda (15) and Sarah Kanda (12) are helping him as she can't walk or feed herself due to her injuries.938 Picture: Matthews Baloyi 1/14/2013

Published Jan 15, 2013

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Johannesburg - The woman who was attacked and left for dead by a couple who kidnapped baby Revelation suffered a fractured jaw and has a blood clot in the brain following a vicious attack.

Veronica Kanda, 46, and her husband Daniel believe the attack was planned because when the couple arrived, they were armed with a rope that was later used to throttle her.

Veronica was carrying baby Revelation at his parents’ home in Bez Valley last Tuesday morning when the couple arrived and allegedly attacked her.

On Monday, a visibly shaken Veronica recounted in kiSwahili how she was attacked by the alleged kidnappers, who left her for dead.

“The woman came and grabbed the baby from me, and the husband started beating me up. When I fell to the floor, he kicked me in the head and the face.

“I tried to fight back, but he tied the rope around my neck and throttled me with it, and I became completely powerless. I do not remember anything after that,” she said.

Veronica was found by her boss hours after the attack and was rushed to hospital.

Baby Revelation was found on Thursday in Fordsburg.

“My throat is in so much pain. I think these people had planned to kill me. They were armed with a rope they were going to use to strangle me,” said Veronica.

Her husband Daniel said they were happy that the baby had been found alive, but said the attack had left his wife emotionally scarred and unable to walk.

“She is suffering. She is unable to eat because her throat and jaw are sore. I have to bathe her and take care of her because she can’t do anything on her own,” he said.

Daniel said the family were struggling to deal with the incident.

“When she was discharged from hospital, my children cried. The whole family, including relatives, were emotional. This is so painful for all of us. We want this couple to be punished for what they did to my wife,” he added.

Daniel, who works as an electrician in Midrand, has been unable to go to work since the attack because he has to look after Veronica.

“She can’t even stand on her own. I have to help her to go to the toilet. These people have completely ruined our lives,” he lamented.

Throughout the interview, Veronica, a mother-of-eight, groaned as she lay in bed, waiting to be seen by a specialist: “Yo mama yo, I’m in so much pain!”

Veronica was back at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic hospital, where she was seen by a specialist.

“After doing a scan, the neurologist said there is still a little bit of blood in the brain.”

The scars on her face and a mark on her neck bore evidence of the brutal attack.

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The Star

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