'I knew I had to get away'

2008-08-19 23:11

Stephan Bouwer, who had a close shave when he was attacked by a matric who'd gone berserk. (Nardus Engelbrecht, Beeld)

Amanda Roestoff

Krugersdorp - A pupil who was wounded when a matric at Nic Diederichs Technical High School went berserk on Monday, says had it not been for two workers, he could also have been dead.

A 16-year-old pupil, Jacques Pretorius, died when his carotid artery was severed when the Grade-12 pupil swung at him with a sword.

Stephan Bouwer, 18, told on Tuesday how workers Joseph Kodisang and Sam Namamela had leapt in front of him when the attacker tried to hack at him for a third time.

He already had been hit on the leg with the flat surface of the sword.

The attacker had struck as Stephan turned to flee after hearing other pupils screaming.

"Why are you hitting me?" Stephan shouted and heard the armed boy laughing "with a strange sound in his voice".

Next, the almost 60cm-long blade sliced through his scalp, cutting it open to the bone.

"I held my head and could feel myself bleeding. I knew I had to get away," Stephan said.

The attacker kept taunting him and moved forward, seemingly intent on causing more harm.

It was then that the two workers jumped in front of Stephan, Kodisang getting a blow to the cheek in the process.

Stephan said of the attacker: "I can't believe it was him."

"He was always so diligent, never smoked or misbehaved at school."

- Beeld