Pensioner Daniel Takalani Sihongo, who is supposed to be enjoying a well-deserved retirement, escaped death by a whisker last week when a relative allegedly tried to kill him at his home.
Sihongo (77), of Mashau Misevhe B, said despite his having reported the case to the police, his life is still in danger as the suspect is still roaming the streets, with no effort by the police to arrest him.
The pensioner, a former dispatch clerk at the Sowetan newspaper, said that he had lost all the respect he had for the police. According to him, he was alone at home on Sunday afternoon around 13:00 when he heard glass breaking in one of the rooms of his house.
"On closer inspection, I was confronted by a relative, who accused me of having killed his younger brother in June this year. Ironically, the brother was found murdered on a street far from my house in the village."
Sihongo said that he found it very strange, because after the killing "he once told me the names of people he suspected of killing his brother. I then advised him to report them to the police, as it was a police matter".
He further said it was luck that he was still alive as the attack on him was a calculated move because the attacker waited for neighbours to go to church before pouncing on him. "I was staring at death and a slip would have signalled my death. I had to fight back and, at the same time, I shouted at the top of my voice for help, until Mr Ravele, who stays in another part of the village, arrived and we subdued the man. After a short while, he asked to go and relieve himself outside and he ran away," he added.
Sihongo further indicated that he had reported the matter to the police the following Monday, but the police had made a mockery of him at the Levubu police station, asking him why he was opening a case as the man had not killed him.
"It is now a week after I reported this incident and the police have not bothered to come and see what happened here. I am not surprised, because they were laughing at me at the police station. My main worry is that I am no longer safe, with a man who has vowed to kill me still roaming the streets."
Limpopo police spokesperson Lt-Col Moatshe Ngoepe confirmed that a case was opened at the Levubu police station. He said it was not true that they were not prepared to arrest the suspect, but that the suspect had been on the run since. "We have opened a malicious-damage-to-property case, and no one has been arrested about the incident."
Anyone with information is requested to pass it on to the investigating officer, Capt Nemavhola, at 082 469 1260.