By Thabo Monyela
MORUTJIE VILLAGE- The case of a missing 37-year-old Stephen Ndlala, is a sickly worry and a matter of hope to his family, as his search reaches day 11 without a trace.
Stephen Ndlala, who is a well-known local criminal was allegedly attacked and pierced on the head with a sharp axe (panga) by his old enemies at Ga-Ditaba tavern in Morutjie village in the early hours of Christmas eve at around 2:00.
According to Ndlala’s little sister who was with him on the night of the incident, a group of 13 people accosted and first stabbed his other brother and then proceeded to attack Ndlala on the head with a sharp axe (panga).
It is said that after being attacked and stabbed in the head, Stephen unconsciously ran for his life while pleading for help at the surrounding households.
“After they stabbed him with a ‘panga’ on the head, he ran quickly out of the tavern towards Morutjie clinic, while covered in blood shouting for help I tried to stop him but I couldn’t as I was attending to my other brother who was lying on the floor after being stabbed,” sparks said (little sister to Stephen).
The households he ran towards said they did not hear him shouting, while others are claiming to have heard the shout from a distance.
“I couldn’t hear him shouting, but I found a trail of small blood at the corner of my fence and shoe steps in the garden to show that a person was here,” Morutjie Village resident said.
Since Ndlala’s mysterious disappearance, his family together with the police have been up in arms in searching for him.
On Tuesday, January 03, the Morutjie Tribal authority convened a community meeting to help the sickly worried family in locating the missing Ndlala.
The Police have launched a men-hunt for the three (3) identified suspects who are connected to the attack of Ndlala and his brother, after two cases of assault and missing person were opened.
