Shot three times and bleeding, a man from Musina had to run 8 km for help.

Anger is mounting in the Musina area after the 34-year-old Mr Alphus Nkawane was shot at on Thursday, 12 September, while fishing on a government farm.

The incident happened on the government research farm that borders on the Klein Bolayi Lodge, 19km outside of Musina. Nkawane is also employed as Klein Bolayi’s chef.

According to information supplied by his employer, Mr Elmer Uys of Klein Bolayi, Nkawane was a frequent visitor to the farm and it was common practice for the locals to fish and hunt on the farm. “This is the first time something like this has happened,” said Uys.

Uys said that Nkawane was busy fishing when two gentlemen approached him and started questioning him about his presence on the farm. One of the gentlemen was allegedly armed with a .303-hunting rifle and ordered Nkawane to leave the farm. As Nkawane was walking away, said Uys, the man shot him in his lower back. Nkawane started to run and was shot two more times. The last two bullets struck him in his left leg and thigh, while the first bullet had lodged in his pelvic bone.

Bleeding, Nkawane had to run all the way back to the lodge to get medical help. He was treated in the Musina hospital and, according to Uys, discharged on Tuesday (17th). The bullet that is stuck in his pelvic bone could not be removed by doctors. “He is doing fine at the moment,” said Uys.

In the meantime, provincial police spokesperson Col Ronel Otto has confirmed that one suspect has been arrested in connection with the shooting incident. The suspect, who was not asked to plead and can therefore not be identified, appeared in the Messina Magistrate’s Court on Monday (16th). He was held in custody for a week and only managed to bring a bail application on Monday.

The man was released on R2 000 bail and will have to appear in court again on 3 October, when he will be charged with the attempted murder of Nkawane.