SA singer attacked on Xmas

2007-12-27 09:06

Amanda Roestoff

Pretoria - Singer Sonja Herholdt was injured after being robbed on Christmas Eve.

Herholdt, who has entertained South Africans for decades with her songs, suffered slight cuts to her chin and hands after a thief smashed the passenger window of her almost brand new VW Golf 5.

She was on her way home to Randburg after visiting Carel F Cronje, her autobiographer and his partner, Cornell Boshoff, in Pretoria.

According to Mike Wannenburg, Herholdt's partner, she stopped at the Malibongwe exit on the N1 highway at about 22:00 when the attacker hit.

Three to four cars were waiting at the same traffic light when the man suddenly appeared on the passenger side and smashed the window.

He took her handbag, containing her identity document and driver's licence, which was lying on the front seat.

"She is angry because she should have known better (than to leave her handbag on the seat)," said Wannenburg.

Her purse and cellphone were not stolen, as these were hidden elsewhere in the car.

According to Wannenburg, Herholdt suffered slight cuts to her chin and hands due to glass shards caused by the window being smashed.

She did not need treatment.

Wannenburg was shocked because the windows were supposed to have been covered by a protecting layer to prevent such attacks.

"One pays a lot for these things, which don't work. It was especially included in the package when she bought the car," he said.

Wannenburg said the incident was reported to Linden police station.

- Beeld