If you live in Maniini, you can probably attest to the fact that Thivhulawi Mudau is a peaceful man who will not hurt a fly.

However, this did not stop the local welder from being stabbed at a local shebeen, where he had gone to quench his thirst. “When I was stabbed without any provocation, I was amazed that the patrons at the shebeen, including the shebeen queen herself, did not to raise a hand to calm the drunken man harassing me, but seemed to enjoy it,” said Mudau in an interview earlier this week.

Mudau (42), a well-known welder in the village, whose works are everywhere in the village of Maniini Block K outside Thohoyandou, said he would never forget the treatment he got from the shebeen.

“I was from work in the village when I decided to go to a shebeen just to quench my thirst, as it was hot,” he said. Mudau said he had not finished his first drink which he had paid for using a R20 note, when he saw neighbours struggling to construct a tent for a funeral. “I felt it my duty to go and assist and this was the worst mistake I have ever made,” he said. He said he assisted them and then decided to go back and enjoy his drink. He said when he arrived at the shebeen where he had left his welding tools, the drink he had left was gone, and the change he left could not be produced. “I was worried as I did not have any more money and had hoped that I would use the only R20 that I had, but the owner refused to give me my change or beer,” he said.

He said when he was still arguing with the owner of the shebeen over the money, a man known to him just stood up, took one of the tools from his own wheelbarrow, and stabbed him in the forehead without any provocation. Mudau suffered a deep gash on his forehead, which was bleeding profusely.

“The blow was so hard that I even lost my senses and I was bleeding so prfusely that I did not even notice what type of weapon he used, but it was one of my tools,” he said. Mudau said what surprised him was the fact that he did not have any quarrel with the man and did not owe the man anything but knew him as a local man. “I am a good man and all in the village will attest to that. I have never hurt anyone and have no intention of doing so and as such I wonder why someone would like to see me dead,” he said.

Mudau said he was worried that other patrons did not even try to assist him even though it happened in full view of other people. “People are heartless. They have no feeling about others and one could easily lose his life while people look and go on with their drinks. We have to change this mindset before many lives are lost,” he said.

At the time of going to press, Thohoyandou police could not deny or confirm if a case had been opened.