Cape Town – A Cape Town family has been left traumatised after their son narrowly escaped death when he was allegedly attacked by three men.
Keagan Visagie, 17, from Northpine, was viciously attacked in Abbotsdale, just outside Malmesbury.
According to his devastated mother, Jacqueline Visagie, she and her son and two of his cousins were visiting her ill father in the area.
“I was visiting my father, but left on Wednesday (January 13) and left the boys there who would see that my father ate. The boys, aged 15, 16 and 17, were attacked at about 11.30pm,” Visagie told the African News Agency (ANA).
The mother said she got the dreadful call from her godchild, who stated that Keagan had been viciously attacked and was rushed to hospital.
“According to the boys, earlier that evening a girl came to ask for water. She then just came in and one of the boys told her she cannot just enter the home as she pleases and pushed her out,” she told ANA.
The mother said the boys were sitting in front of the house because the area is quite hot and that’s when pandemonium broke out.
The boys noticed three men coming down the road with weapons and started running.
“Keagan ran but became tired and his knee gave in as he had a big knee surgery last year. He asked them what he did and they hit him in his neck with a golf stick and started hitting him with a machete too.
“A woman in the street shouted just as they were about to give a blow to his head and these men ran away. She ran to Keagan, who pleaded with her to call an ambulance and his family,” Visagie said.
Keagan, who had celebrated his birthday a week prior, was rushed to Swartland Hospital and then transferred to Tygerberg Hospital.
“Keagan has stitches in his face. His hand was chopped with the machete and he sustained nerve damage to his left hand. His thumb, fortunately, could be reattached.
’’He had his second operation on Monday and may have more. He is extremely traumatised but we will be getting him counselling,” Visagie told ANA.
Keagan’s cousins are also shocked by the incident.
Provincial police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed that three suspects were arrested and appeared in the Malmesbury Magistrate’s Court on charges of attempted murder.
“The victim sustained stab wounds to his left cheek and left hand. An attempted murder case was registered for investigation. Three suspects aged 20, 28 and 29 were arrested. The victim is currently in hospital.
“The suspects appeared in court on Monday and are remanded in custody at the Medium B Correctional Services in Malmesbury,” Van Wyk said.
Visagie said seeing her child’s attackers broke her in court.
“As I saw them coming up from the dock at court I burst out crying. You could see on their faces they were hardened criminals.
’’I could only imagine what my child had to be feeling at the time of his attack. We just want justice,” she added.
The trio are expected to apply for bail on Thursday.
African News Agency (ANA)