He recently went to the premises to replace the gate with an electric one as well as to cut the overgrown trees.
According to Springs police spokesman Captain Johannes Ramphora, the tenant refused Loehmed entry to the premises.
He says the following day Loehmed went back to remove the gate and while busy, the tenant assaulted him.
“I always walk around with pepper spray and when this man assaulted me I used it for self-defence by spraying it into the man’s eyes,” says Loehmed.
Ramphora says the man left Loehmed alone, but returned later with an pick axe and hit the old man in the ribs.
After falling to the ground, the victim realised this man was serious in attacking him and again used his pepper spray to defend himself.
But the tenant was still shouting and standing over Loehmed.
Ramphora says the assaulter’s son soon joined him and grabbed the pepper spray holder from the victim’s hand and used it to hit Loehmed over his head.
The victim’s two workers came to his rescue and Loehmed and his helpers decided to leave the scene.
“I went to the doctor as I was experiencing the most excruciating pain and had to go for X-rays,” says the victim.
It was later discovered that he has three cracked ribs.
No arrests have been made and the police are investigating.
