Attorney and former councillor for the African National Congress (ANC), 30-year-old Previn Vedan, was brutally stabbed in December last year and remained in a healthcare facility for two months.
He has now spoken out about the assault as he is unable to use his right hand and has had to teach himself how to continue his daily life using just his left hand.
Vedan said that on 9 December 2022, he attended the memorial of a friend. “His death came as a shock to me. Although he had been unwell for a long time, he had always continued his activism work regardless of his health issues.
“After leaving the memorial and stopping with colleagues to have a remembrance supper, I walked with a friend to my vehicle, unassumingly holding my cellphone in my hand. This is when, I presume, I had caught the attention of my soon to-be muggers,” he said.
Vedan opened the passenger door of his vehicle, waited for his friend to get in, then entered into the driver’s seat of the vehicle with the intention of driving home.
“As soon as I closed my vehicle door, I noticed that my cellphone was completely out of battery. It was late and I did not know if anyone was trying to contact me, so I decided to turn on the ignition in my vehicle, and to plug my cellphone into my car charger while waiting a few minutes for my cellphone to switch on.
“Unfortunately, I did not make it home that evening. My vehicle door was suddenly pulled open by the first mugger, who had aggressively shouted at me to hand over my cellphone. In shock, and thinking that this was some sort of joke, I did not react immediately.
“The first mugger then proceeded to stab me on my right hand and as I held onto the handle of my vehicle door, he leaned into my vehicle. It was at this point that I realised that I was being robbed. With my friend in the passenger seat of my vehicle and afraid of what could happen to her, I resisted the robbery. I removed my vehicle key from the ignition and attempted to push the first mugger away.
“Subsequently, the first mugger had proceeded to stab me repeatedly on my hand. Now covered in blood and realising that I was in need of help, I had shouted to my friend to leave the vehicle and get assistance. As soon as she had jumped out of the vehicle, a second mugger had appeared and entered my vehicle through the back passenger door.
“The second mugger had quickly unplugged my cellphone and both the muggers had immediately run off. My friend had re-entered my vehicle and I used her cellphone to telephone my brother to inform him of what had just happened to me. Fortunately, my friend was uninjured, and I then drove to the nearest hospital,” Vedan said.
He said that he entered the hospital trying to hold his hand in its position and with blood dripping all over the hospital floors.
“I was made to wait an extended period of time before being given any form of medical assistance. The hospital manager told my friend that the hospital had required approval from my medical aid before they could attend to me.
“The stab wounds to my hand were severe and I required immediate surgery. After some time, the surgery did take place. Unfortunately, due to various factors, the surgery was unsuccessful and I developed sepsis in my hand.
“The sepsis required me to undergo further multiple surgeries and medical procedures. I spent two months in two different hospitals. During these two months, I was heavily medicated and despite an outpouring of support, I was left unsure of the ability that I would have when I left hospital.
“I was also unsure if I would be capable of returning to my roles and duties. After a few months of hospital care, I now find myself with minimal movement and use of my right hand, and I am still undergoing medical treatment. The possibility of regaining normal usage of my right hand is unlikely, and I am trying to accept my new norm, which is an adaptive lifestyle,” concluded Vedan.
