A 66-year-old woman says she has been left living in fear after a knifepoint confrontation during a home invasion in which she reported that police did not visit the scene more than 48 hours after the incident.
The woman told police that the attack began sometime between 23:20h and 23:30h on Friday, during heavy rainfall that lasted until about 01:45h on Saturday.
She recounted that the intruder put a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her if she made a sound.
According to the woman, her dogs had been barking earlier in the night, prompting her to check the yard twice. She said she saw no one and returned to bed—before the intruder entered the house and confronted her while she was in bed.
She stated that the man, whose clothing was soaked, overpowered her and covered her mouth while holding the knife. She said she grabbed his hand in an attempt to defend herself, telling him not to harm her.
The intruder then demanded cash, telling her to give him all the money she had.
The woman said that during the struggle she recognised the attacker’s face, identifying him as the same young man who had previously carried out work for her earlier this year. She said she complied with his demands because she feared for her life and wanted to survive.
She said the man left the house at about 01:45h, after which she raised an alarm and contacted neighbours. She said people responded and assisted her before she reported the incident to police. She added that she was able to identify the suspect to investigators, who subsequently contacted him.
However, the woman said she is concerned about a lack of police response from the Blairmont Police Station. Up to Sunday evening—more than 48 hours after the incident—she said no officers had visited her home to investigate or check how the intruder gained entry.
She later discovered that several window panes had been removed from the kitchen area, allowing entry into the house. She also said the suspect appeared familiar with the layout of her home. After the attack, she was taken for medical attention and spent several hours under observation.
“I can’t sleep, I can’t eat… I still traumatised,” she said.
