The Sunday News
Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A BRAVE Plumtree woman wrestled her husband and overpowered him after he tried to stab his three-year-old stepdaughter with a knife over an extra marital affair.
Ms Sibusisiwe Ndebele (24) and her daughter were rescued by neighbours who broke down the door to gain entry into the house which was locked.
In a bid to save herself, Ndebele proceeded to the police station together with her daughter where they spent the night.
Prince Zikhali (25) of Gassavu suburb had informed his churchmates of his intention to stab his wife and stepdaughter over the phone on Wednesday night. He also pointed out that he would commit suicide after doing so.
A shaken Ms Ndebele said her husband arrived home drunk on Wednesday evening and started accusing her of being in an affair with her previous husband.
“The commotion started when my husband arrived home from work. He started accusing me of sleeping with my daughter’s father but I ignored the allegations and proceeded to bed,” said Ms Ndebele.
She said her husband took his cellphone and made calls to various people telling them that he was going to kill his family and then commit suicide.
Ms Ndebele said her husband started threatening her but she ignored him assuming that he was acting under the influence of alcohol.
She said her husband took a knife from the kitchen at around 11pm and walked towards the little girl who was sleeping, with the intention to stab her.
“I realised that my husband was going to stab my daughter and I jumped on his back in a bid to take the knife from him. We wrestled and I was lucky to overpower him as he was drunk.
“I picked up my daughter and proceeded towards the door in a bid to flee but he had locked the door and removed the keys. We continued to wrestle for the knife until our neighbours broke the locking system of the door and that was when we got out of the house,” said Ms Ndebele.
She said her husband then cut off their washing line and threatened to hang himself but people who had gathered at their home stopped him.
A neighbour to the family, Mr Isaac Dube said he heard cries for help coming from Ms Ndebele.
He said neighbours gathered at the home and forced the door open.
Mr Dube said when the door opened they found Ndebele wrestling with her husband while she was holding the knife.
Zikhali, who was taken in for questioning by police the following day, said he had welcomed “another man’s child into my home but my wife was taking advantage of my generosity”.
“My wife is constantly chatting with her ex-husband in secret. She even meets with him in secret and I learnt of this from my informants. She is continuously lying to me about her whereabouts in a bid to spend time with her boyfriend,” he said.
He, however, denied attempting to stab his daughter and wife. He said he made the phone calls out of anger but he was not going to carry out his plan.
