Gran, 81, clubs attackers
2007-12-14 09:18
Daleen van Manen
Hartbeespoort - Josina Fourie, 81, grabbed a club and laid into two knife-wielding attackers who stabbed her and her husband in an early-morning attack.
The couple's six dogs joined in as well, but not before Josina was stabbed five times in the chest and head and husband Isak, 84, was knifed seven times in the back. Both his lungs were perforated.
Josina said: "I decided I wouldn't allow murderers to snuff out our lives just like that. I would fight to the death."
They're both in a stable condition in Brits Medi-Clinic.
The Fouries, who moved to Hartbeespoort from KwaZulu-Natal just three weeks ago, were attacked at their Ifafa flat shortly after 06:00 on Wednesday by a painter who had been working for them for three weeks, and his accomplice.
Josina said: "We suspected nothing and were still in bed when the painter arrived at our house.
Sangoma's orders
"My husband went to unlock the door so that the six dogs could go out, and the painter could get his equipment out of the house.
"The painter pushed Isak out of the way and stormed to our bedroom. A second man suddenly appeared and grabbed my husband," said Josina.
"When I asked the painter what he was doing, he said a sangoma had ordered him to kill us to drive the evil out of his body.
The two men repeatedly stabbed the couple and while Isak wrestled with one, Josina managed to get a club next to their bed, and laid into her attacker.
"I just decided I won't surrender as long as I was alive. I wouldn't allow them to take my life, and my husband's."
While she defended herself with the club, their six dogs also joined in and tackled the knifemen.
"The painter was jumping around between the biting dogs. Even my oldest dog, with a heart problem and just one tooth, joined in the fray."
The two men grabbed cellphones and cash and fled.
"The painter's parting words to me were that he'd return to kill us."
Josina crawled to the phone and called police, her son and their neighbour. Police and paramedics were at the house within minutes.
"I never knew she was so strong," joked a weak Isak from the hospital bed next to hers.
Celebrating 59th anniversary
"She climbed in tooth and nail. She quite scared me. She and the dogs saved our lives."
Josina said she wanted their nightmare experience to serve as a warning to all elderly people.
"Don't trust anyone and keep a few dogs around your home. They helped to save our lives. The painter had done some work for my son, previously."
Josina and Isak were celebrating their 59th wedding anniversary side-by-side in their hospital beds on Friday.
- Beeld