A Johannesburg informal trader risked his own life to save a woman who was allegedly being brutally stabbed by her former boyfriend, intervening just as the attacker appeared to try to slit her throat.
Sibusio Ngcobo, the secretary-general of informal traders at the Bree Taxi Rank, initially believed Boitumelo Mazibuko, 26, had fallen and needed help.
But as he moved closer, he realised that she was fighting for her life and that the man next to her was not helping her up.
He was allegedly stabbing her.
Ngcobo said he later understood that Mazibuko had been trying to flee from the man, identified as her former boyfriend, Siyabonga Msimanga.
“I thought I should go and assist her, but when I got closer I saw there was a man with her and assumed he was helping her up.
“Then I realised he was actually stabbing her and continued stabbing her,” he said.
The attack happened on 29 September, the day after President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation about efforts to combat gender-based violence.
The president’s address followed the discovery of 13 women who were found dead in Ekurhuleni. Ramaphosa urged men, in particular, to lead by example and play a role in the fight against gender-based violence.
In Johannesburg, Ngcobo watched in horror as Msimanga, 45, allegedly stabbed Mazibuko repeatedly while she lay on the ground.
“He stabbed her at the back of the neck. He then turned her over and stabbed her between her breasts. He was on top of her, stabbing her. I shouted at him to stop, but he continued.
“The woman managed to get up and run, but he chased her, caught up with her and threw her to the ground again.
“That was when I realised he wanted to kill her.”
Ngcobo then ran towards the attacker and kicked him in the head as he allegedly attempted to slit Mazibuko’s throat.
He kicked Msimanga with such force that the attacker lost his balance and fell as well.
The suspect allegedly picked up the knife and began chasing Ngcobo, but then decided to flee the scene.
Ngcobo’s intervention gave Mazibuko a chance to survive an attack that her mother believes could have ended in murder.
According to Ngcobo, Mazibuko pleaded desperately for her life while the assault continued.
“She kept saying she was tired and that he must stop as she did not have the strength.”
Many people witnessed the attack, but Ngcobo said they were too afraid to physically intervene because Msimanga was known as a taxi driver with a reputation for violence.
“People were shouting from a distance, telling him to stop, but nobody came to physically stop him,” said Ngcobo.
The day after the attack, several taxi drivers warned Ngcobo that he had interfered with a dangerous man.
“They told me to look after myself because the man I had stopped was known to be violent and dangerous,” he said.
“I couldn’t fold my arms and watch a woman being killed. There was no way I was going to allow that to happen.”
Mazibuko was taken to hospital and spent time in intensive care before being discharged from the unit.
She remains in hospital while recovering from the injuries. Her mother, Lebohang Zikode, said her daughter faces a long recovery after losing sensation in her left leg.
Doctors believe a stab wound near Mazibuko’s spine may have damaged a nerve.
The physical injuries have left the family facing an uncertain recovery, while the emotional impact of the attack is expected to continue long after Mazibuko leaves hospital.
Zikode also alleged that Msimanga contacted her after the attack. According to the mother, he admitted that he had stabbed Mazibuko and asked for forgiveness.
She said the message that affected her most was an alleged offer involving his family and money.
“The message that shocked me the most was when he said he would send his family from KZN to apologise on his behalf and that they would pay for the embarrassment and harm caused to my daughter. They offered me R20,000.”
Zikode rejected the offer and said no payment could compensate her for what happened to her daughter.
In his plea, Msimanga allegedly said he attacked Mazibuko because she would not stop talking to another man.
“To tell you the truth, there is no amount of money that can equal the life of my child. I am still shocked that he thinks money can solve something like this,” said Zikode.
According to Zikode, her daughter had ended her relationship with Msimanga because of concerns about his alleged violent behaviour.
The mother expressed deep gratitude to Ngcobo for stepping in when the attack reached its most dangerous point.
She believes the assault would have ended in murder if the informal trader had not intervened.
Ngcobo’s account has placed a spotlight on the dangers faced by people who step into violent domestic disputes, particularly when the attacker is armed and the victim is already seriously injured.
The incident also showed how bystanders can be trapped between the fear of becoming targets themselves and the urgent need to help someone under attack.
In this case, Ngcobo chose to move towards the attacker despite the risk. His intervention forced Msimanga away from Mazibuko and disrupted the alleged attempt to cause further injury.
Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that a case of attempted murder was being investigated.
“The suspect was arrested and appeared before the Johannesburg magistrate’s court on October 2 2026.”
Msimanga remains an accused person and has not been convicted. The allegations against him will still have to be tested in court.
The attempted-murder case will focus on the alleged stabbing, the injuries suffered by Mazibuko, the weapon used and the evidence from witnesses who saw what happened.
Police may also investigate the alleged contact with Zikode after the attack, including the claim that Msimanga admitted stabbing Mazibuko and offered an apology through his family.
That communication could become relevant to the wider case, although the prosecution will have to establish its authenticity and meaning through proper evidence.
The court proceedings will also determine the next steps in the case, including whether Msimanga is released on bail or remains in custody while the investigation continues.
The attack occurred against the backdrop of renewed national concern about gender-based violence and the continued demand for stronger protection for women leaving violent relationships.
Zikode’s account that Mazibuko ended the relationship because of concerns about alleged violence is likely to form part of the family’s understanding of what led to the attack.
However, the full circumstances, including what happened immediately before Msimanga allegedly began stabbing her, will be determined through the investigation and court process.
Mazibuko is now focused on recovery, but the loss of feeling in her left leg has raised fears about the long-term effect of the wound near her spine.
Her family is also preparing for the emotional and financial strain that often follows a serious violent attack.
For Ngcobo, the decision to intervene remains simple.
He saw a woman being attacked and refused to stand by while her life was threatened.
“I couldn’t fold my arms and watch a woman being killed. There was no way I was going to allow that to happen.”
His actions may have prevented a murder, while Mazibuko’s recovery continues in hospital and the attempted-murder case moves through the Johannesburg magistrate’s court.