WHEN Kameren Moodley went to his local doctor’s surgery to treat a stomach bug, he did not expect to come face-to-face with two robbers who repeatedly stabbed him and stole his cellphone.
Moodley fought back because he feared they would also take his car keys and drive off with his family – his wife, four-year-old son, and two-year-old twins – who were waiting for him outside.
Moodley, 37, of Verulam, said he had a stomach bug and decided to seek treatment at Dr Ruben Govender’s surgery situated in Trenance Park on December 27.
He said while he was standing at the counter and providing the receptionist with his details, the first robber entered.
“He came up to the counter and began to mumble. From the corner of my eye I saw another man come in and walk straight up to me. When I turned and looked at him, he pulled up his sleeve and exposed a large knife. At that moment, I knew I could not be stuck in the corner so I pushed him away to make space, and that is when they began attacking me,” he said.
Moodley said during the attack, all he could think about was his wife and children who were waiting in the car.
He said his sons were still buckled up in their car seats.
“I had entered the surgery with only my phone, watch and car keys as I was using my medical aid. My greatest fear was that if they got hold of my keys they could attack my family or even take them with the car.
“I fought as much as I could to get them away from the premises. It all happened so fast, and they managed to get hold of my cellphone before fleeing into the bushes,” he said.
Moodley said he sustained a punctured lung and was stabbed in the left side of his back, and right side of the chest.
“I received three stitches for each wound. This incident has placed a strain on me and my family, as I cannot work due to the fact that I am still in a lot of pain and on medication.
“There is also the trauma that we are trying to deal with. But, we cannot live in fear and feel there needs to be some intervention to deal with the crime in the area. There is a need for more police visibility, such as regular patrols. The eThekwini Municipality also needs to clean out the bushes in the area, which is the escape route for these criminals,” he said.
Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo, a provincial police spokesperson, said a case of attempted murder was being investigated.
