Lying unconscious on her sofa, blood congealed around a gaping axe wound to her head, 31-year-old Tebogo Nkgotla was minutes away from being burnt alive.
The Hatsalatladi woman was saved by an early-rising neighbour who spotted smoke swirling from the front door of her Maribana ward home.
According to police, at around 5 in the morning, having noticed the smoke, the man ran to Nkogtla’s house and, after discovering the door was locked, kicked it down.
Once inside, braving the thick haze, he spotted Nkogtla motionless on her couch, a bloodied axe dumped at her feet.
The young mum had suffered deep cuts to her left ear and shoulder.
Unable to rouse the injured woman, the man turned his attention to the strong smell of gas growing thicker by the second.
“He then proceeded to the bedroom where he realised there were some blood stains on the bed and a burning 19kg gas cylinder behind the door. Fortunately he managed to remove the gas cylinder from the house and extinguished the fire,” revealed a police source.
Nkogtla was the rushed to Princess Marina Hospital. 12 days later (Wednesday 28 October) and, although she is out of intensive care, she remains in hospital.
Meanwhile, police have since arrested and charged her boyfriend and baby daddy, Joel Morena Gabatshwane with her attempted murder.
The 35-year-old appeared before Molepolole Magistrates Court last week.
Prosecutor Sub Inspector, Maureen Segokgo requested court remand Gabatshwane in custody, noting the cops had only recorded statements from two witnesses.
Segokgo explained they were yet to record the victim’s statement, as at the time she was still unable to talk.
For his part, rather than trying his luck for bail, Gabatshwane asked court to assist him in collecting ‘some machines’ from Hatsalatladi so he can return them to their owners.
His plea was unsuccessful, with court sending the suspect to the slammer until his next mention, scheduled for 23 November.