On August 11 Steenkamp was shot three times when armed robbers robbed him of the church’s money which he was carrying to the bank in Highland Mews Shopping Centre. (Retired cop shot article)
On Tuesday, August 12 Steenkamp underwent a Computerized Tomography scan (CT scan) to access the damage caused by the bullets.
“During the X-rays the doctor said that some of the bone was hit and that a piece of my knee cap was broken, but after the CT scan the doctor reassured me that I need not worry and that I am very lucky,” said Steenkamp.
The expected surgery for Thursday was cancelled and Steenkamp was discharged from Life Cosmos Hospital that following Friday when WITBANK NEWS visited him to see how he was doing.
“I am doing great, they are releasing me today, I am just waiting for my wife,” he added.
Steenkamp is a retired police colonel. He retired in 2011 from the SAPS and in that time became the treasurer, caretaker and administrator for his church.
Recalling the incident, Steenkamp explains how the robbers first shot him in the right foot, and remembers the last shot going through his lower left thigh, exiting at the back of his calf.
“I remained calm, Jesus Christ was helping me,” he said.
Steenkamp would like to thank Nico as well as the staff from Clicks who helped him to the clinic and helped reduce the bleeding.
He also thanked Langamed Emergency Management Service for bringing him safely to Life Cosmos Hospital and the hospital staff for everything that they had done.
“I am going to be on crutches for three months and will need to keep my knee brace on too,” he ended.
Maria, Steenkamp’s wife, walked in relieved that her husband was returning home. She said that when she first heard he had been shot she was a bit shocked.
She then told WITBANK NEWS that as a policeman’s wife you must be prepared for things like this if they should ever happen.
Witbank crime rate is exceedingly increasing daily. This place is high risk and dangerous. I also thank God, Mr Steenkamp is better now.