Proteas star relates harrowing incident of violence and inspiring kindness
Proteas cricketer Rassie van der Dussen took to social media on Friday to relate a harrowing incident of violence that befell a member of their staff.
Van der Dussen says that the incident and subsequent inaction from bystanders left his faith in humanity shaken until the staff member found himself in the care of the good people at Kalafong Hospital.
The cricketer, who owns and operates a coffee shop in Centurion received a call from one of the staff members early on Friday morning. The man, identified only as Justin, told Van der Dussen he had been stabbed in an armed robbery.
Losing faith in humanity
Van der Dussen rushed to the scene, finding an horrific spectacle with the knife wounds so extensive that Justin’s arm was hanging by a thread.
The Proteas star couldn’t believe that in the time it took him to get to the location, nobody had stopped to help a visibly injured person.
“So this morning on my way to open our coffee shop in Centurion, I received a call at 06:05 from one of our employees: ‘Rassie I’ve been stabbed, it’s really bad. I’m under the N1 bridge in West Avenue.'” van der Dussen posted.
“I immediately phoned Netcare 911 and rushed towards the location of the robbery. Arriving on the scene 5 mins later, Justin was lying in a pool of his own blood, left arm all but severed, shaking and blood was gushing out of his arm. Clothes full of blood. Devastating.”
Proteas cricketer left shaken and angry
The incident left van der Dussen shaken at the sight of so much human blood.
“Growing up on a farm, I’ve seen a lot of blood in my life. Not human blood however,” he continued.
“I took off my shirt and we used it to try and stop the bleeding. We succeeded, to an extent, and the ambulance came flying in about 10 minutes later to take him to Unitas.
“Justin was robbed, and almost killed, just for a laptop.
“As we waited for the ambulance, I couldn’t help thinking that nobody in Friday morning traffic on a fairly busy road bothered to stop in the 10 minutes before I could reach Justin. A man attacked and bleeding, in clear sight, and people just drove by.
“I tried not to judge, but I was severely disappointed. ‘We have to be better than this’ I thought. ‘Everyone.'”
After an excellent response from doctors at a private medical facility, van der Dussen was told that they could not continue the treatment as it would quickly rack up a massive bill, and Justin did not have medical aid or the means to settle a monstrous hospital bill.
Restored faith
They were told that Justin would be transferred to the Kalafong Hospital near Attridgeville.
Van der Dussen went on: “Dr Glanvill and his team at Unitas was incredible to stabilise Justin, all genuine lifesavers. After he reassured us, the decision was taken to transfer Justin to Kalafong Hospital in Atteridgeville.
“Faith in humanity restored, slightly.
“A short while later myself and Alban, Justin’s cousin, went on a quest to find Justin. We knew he was in Kalafong, but we didn’t know where. His phone was off and he was heavily sedated to ease the pain.
“Through Friday afternoon traffic, both on the roads and within the state hospital, we managed to track him down. He was okay. Still awaiting surgery.
“Sister Sekhukhune greeted us upon arrival in the resuscitation ward. Professional, to the point and with a word or two of humour she briefed us and then introduced us to Dr Breedt.
“Helped by a heavy morphine dose, Justin was in good spirits. He was okay, ‘through the worst’ in his words, and he was being taken care of by a handful of people that truly inspired me today through their dedication and professionalism in the toughest of circumstances.
“I realised that in the midst of everything happening in our country, truly good people, in every sense of the word, still offer up themselves to help others with no conditions attached.”
The Proteas star quoted the famous words of Edmund Burke: “”The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good (people) to do nothing.”
“Thank you to all the selfless people who don’t do nothing.
“Faith in humanity restored.”
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