Surgeons still deliberate brain surgery
Viljoen survived an assassination attempt at Ngwelezana Court more than a decade ago
THE verdict is not yet out on the feasibility of surgery to remove the shrapnel of two bullets from the brain of a local policeman, who was shot seven times in the line of duty.
Sgt Herculaas Viljoen alias Klaas, and his wife, La’Nadia, spoke to the Zululand Observer after his return from a Durban-based hospital, where he underwent observation and scans to determine if his quality of life could be improved by removing the shattered bullets, or if the risks outweighed the potential benefits.
Viljoen survived an assassination attempt at Ngwelezana Court more than a decade ago, which was possibly linked to an investigation he was conducting at the time.
‘The doctor does not want to operate at this stage, because the results of the MRI showed that the damage was more extensive than he initially believed,’ says La’Nadia.
‘He will first consult with two other neurosurgeons before making a decision.
‘There are some bullet fragments on the right side of his temple, which is not such a big problem to remove, but the MRI picked up fragments at the back of his skull, right at the part which controls vision.
‘So, more surgeons will be consulted before deciding.’
Klaas, father to Magda, Deidre, Evert and Jesse, miraculously survived a hail of bullets to the head, stomach, back and neck.
Read the full story in the ZO Weekender edition.
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