The man who survived a gruesome axe attack by his brother is still trying to come to terms with the ordeal. Tragically, his younger brother lost his life in the incident. Philani Mdlalose from Dokodweni in Gingindlovu, in the far north of KwaZulu-Natal, told ZiMoja that the horrific incident took place at their home last Sunday. 

ESCAPING DEATH

According to Philani, he was sleeping when he was awakened by the sound of a car entering their yard, and moments later, he heard his brother Blessings crying for help. " I went outside to investigate and discovered that it was my other brother who had parked the car,' Philani said. To his horror, he witnessed his brother mercilessly hacking Blessing with an axe while the latter pleaded for help. His other brother, who has since been arrested, accused Blessing of breaking into his house and stealing his stuff. "When I asked my brother what he was doing, he threatened to hack me to pieces with an axe if I dared come closer. He then stopped attacking Blessing and began charging towards me,' Philani said. Fearing for his own life, Philani fled the scene and sought refuge at a neighbor's house, where he promptly called the police. 

FOUND IN A POOL OF BLOOD

By the time the police arrived, Blessing was found lifeless, lying in a pool of blood, while his other brother sped off from the scene. Philani expressed his disbelief over the senseless killing, emphasizing that regardless of any alleged theft by Blessings, there was no justification for such a brutal act. "Even if Blessing had broken into his house and taken some things, there was no need for him to kill him. I don't know what came over him, but only God knows," he said. KZN SAPS spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said a 45-year-old man was arrested in connection with the murder of his brother at Dokodweni on Sunday. "Police responded to reports of a murder, and upon arrival, the body of a 40-year-old man was found lying on the gravel road with stab wounds. The motive for the killing is unknown," he said.