WHAT should have been just a routine morning for a Morningside stray cat feeder, turned into a nightmare experience which will take her some time to recover from psychologically.
Marcia Petzer has been feeding strays in the area for many years and went about her day as normal, arriving in ‘Devil’s Dip’ in Percy Osborn Road at 6am, as she does every day.
Little did she know what was in store for her on the morning of Sunday, 16 June.
“I went down to park to feed the cats. It is still dark at this time in the morning, but the cats are creatures of habit and know I arrive at that time to feed them. I am used to seeing the local homeless people in the area who all know me, and I am careful; I always drive down with my brights on. I got out and saw a man walking up the road and suddenly I was pushed from behind,” she said.
Petzer said the man tried to push her into the back seat of her car.
“I fought like hell, I even bit the top of his finger off. I was hurt as I was pushed and shoved into the car. I tried to get out the passenger door, but the man who I had seen walking up the road came down to where we were and pointed a gun at me and blocked me. The other had a twelve-inch knife and unfortunately, as there was no one around at that time, especially on a Sunday, there was nothing I could do,” she said.
She said the men kept asking her for her cellphone and bank cards, but she told them she didn’t own a cellphone and had no cards on her as she was just there to feed the cats.
“In the car I thought I could try jump out when we were moving, but the one man sat in the back holding onto my shirt and the older one drove my car. They told me they would take me back, but it was very scary.”
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Terriefied, Petzer said the men took the Cornubia turn-off and drove onto a deserted road surrounded by trees and stopped near a rubbish dump.
“They manhandled me out the car and tied my feet to a tree and tied my hands. They got sheets of plastic and covered me with it. I thought they were going to kill me,” she said.
She waited until she couldn’t hear anyone around and then managed to free herself.
“I walked until I got to Tongaat Hulett where the security guards opened for me and called the Verulam SAPS. I was very shaken,” she said.
Despite her car being insured, Petzer said it was 14 years old and she didn’t expect to get much for it from her insurance.
She was more upset by the fact that she had lost cat baskets and cat food.
She said she had also lost her flat keys and there were knock on affects of having to secure her property further.
“I am on ARVs for a month and my sleeping and eating patterns are out. It’s now more the trauma and emotions of almost being killed that are affecting me. It is soul destroying, and psychologically I am battling. I am still feeding the cats, I walk to other sites, and a resident who lives near the Percy Osborn site is feeding the cats there for now. I just want to warn other cat feeders to be alert,” she said.
Petzer opened a case of hijacking at Durban Central, however she had not heard anything more from the police.
Responding to queries by Berea Mail, Capt SM Maphumulo from Durban Central said police were still investigating the matter.
“The investigating officer was interviewed and he is still following the matter. We appeal that if there is any information, this should be given to the police by calling 10111,” he said.
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