HE IS MY HERO

They watched television together and laughed only an hour before an employee killed her grandfather, Omra Cassim.

Maxi Monyela worked for the Cassim family of Nirvana for eight years and never spoke or showed one word of anger towards them. But last Monday night Nazrana Cassim (21) and her family saw a very different side of the man they trusted. Monyela attacked Cassim in the family’s house and stabbed her more than 20 times.

She lost 50 percent of her blood by the time she arrived at the hospital but she managed to stay conscious during the whole ordeal.

As she enters the room, one can see the scars and clips in her head and the bandages around her hand and neck from the stab wounds. "I heard my grandfather scream while I was watching television. I went to the closed door and asked what was wrong but Monyela told me nothing was wrong and that he was just screaming.

"I knew something was wrong, I opened the door and saw my grandfather lying on the ground. I walked towards him and suddenly felt someone grabbing me from behind and starting to stab me. The light was off so I could not see anything and just kicked and screamed the whole time to get away from him.

"I could feel his power and knew he wanted to kill me. After I fell to the floor I felt him stabbing me in the head. I knew I had to escape. After I ran to the room I covered myself and phoned my mother and the police.

"I told myself that if I lie down I will wake up and this horrible dream will be over. I was starting to lose consciousness and I knew this was real and I must stay awake. I was scared that I won't wake up ever again and nobody will get to me in the room because I locked it from the inside.

 "I heard gunshots. I thought my grandfather shot Monyela and this could all be over.

"After everything was quiet, I unlocked the door and looked outside. I could see both of them lying on the floor, my grandfather in his own blood. Maxi told my grandmother, who was also in the house, that my grandfather shot him and that she had to phone the police." When the police and emergency service personnel arrived on the scene they helped the suspect and Nazrana said they never tried to help her.

"I had to rush her to hospital," said her mother. "I couldn’t believe the personnel didn’t even attend to my father in the other room."

"Chubb was last on the scene and we pressed all the panic buttons numerous times so they knew it wasn't just a robbery."

The suspect is still in hospital and a trial date has not been set.

Nazrana repeatedly said: "If it wasn't for my grandfather, I would not be alive".

Spokesperson of the department of health, Mr Phuti Seloba, said people must lodge a complaint with the department if they are unhappy with their service. "What happened in Nirvana must be investigated to find out why the personnel didn’t attend to the young woman."

Northern Review - http://www.northernmedia.co.za/?q=node/10361