Couple brutally attacked in Umzumbe

AN evening with family and friends ended in a terrifying nightmare for Amanzimtoti couple, Noelene Smith (26) and Dillon Fletcher (29) last Saturday.

The couple was brutally attacked by five men while walking from a pub to their accommodation in Umzumbe just after midnight.

Dillon sustained injuries to his shoulder and fingers, while Noelene had her left lung pierced. Both were admitted to hospital.

Noelene had to have her lungs drained. She shook uncontrollably when asked about the attack.

“It was very frightening. People in the area must be warned as it must not happen to anyone else,” she said.

Dillon said they had just left the pub when he noticed the shadows of people running up the road behind them.

“I told Noelene to run. I stood there, hoping they would attack me and take my stuff. I never expected this to happen,” he said.

Dillon said two of the men ran to him and, without asking for anything, just assaulted him. Meanwhile, the other three men chased after Noelene.

“It was absolutely terrifying, I didn’t know what to do,” he added.

Dillon managed to get onto his feet and ran to help Noelene, with his attackers close on his heels. “I thought they were trying to kill us,” he said.

By then Noelene had been stabbed, and the men were seen fleeing with her handbag. Dillon helped Noelene to her feet, pushed her towards the entrance of the pub and told her to run.

Dillon said the gang then pinned him to the ground, with the youngest of the group on top of him, trying to stab him in the chest while  he kept trying to deflect the blows.

He then lay still, feigning unconsciousness, and could feel the teenager with the knife slicing away at his belt which had his ‘mission bag’ attached to it.

They fled with his belongings leaving him shirtless and bleeding.

“I was screaming for Noelene, I didn’t know where she was or if she had made it back,” he said.

Meantime, Noelene, had notified those at the pub.

Dillon described the assault as ‘an aggravated attack and one of violent aggression’, as no words were exchanged throughout the ordeal.

He seemed to think it might have been either a gang initiation, a racist attack, or a deliberate attack aimed solely at hurting people.

Police spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Zandra Wiid, said a case of robbery had been opened. No arrests had been made, but the police had two identity sketches of the men.

Noelene’s stepfather, Chris Nel is offering a R10 000 reward for anyone with information about the perpetrators. He can be contacted at 083 7022057. Alternatively, call Warrant Officer Henry van Vuuren at 082 4592714.