Triathlete Mhlengi Gwala says he forgives chainsaw attackers

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Durban triathlete Mhlengi Gwala, who survived a horrific chainsaw attack, is prepared to forgive the men who attacked him and almost brought a premature end to his athletics career. Gwala was discharged from hospital on Monday. During a brief telephonic interview with The Mercury on Tuesday, Gwala said he needed to forgive those who caused him great pain in order to be able to move on with his life. “It is quite clear that they did not know what they were doing and they were wasting their time. “If I saw them today, I would honestly not know what to say to them. But I do know that as a person I have to forgive and let this go so I can be able to continue with my life.

“I cannot go through life being angry.”

Gwala was attacked in the early hours of the morning while training near the University of KwaZulu-Natal earlier this month. He was approached by three men who dragged him into the surrounding bushes.

It was reported that at the time of the attack he tried ­offering them his cellphone and watch, but they pinned him down and tried to saw off his leg with a chainsaw.

The incident drew nationwide condemnation. There was suspicion that jealousy was behind the attack.

Gwala said that physically he was also healing.

“There is still that pain because I am still healing but I can now put my foot down (to walk), but not for things like doing traditional dancing. But I am quite happy with the progress I have been making.”

He said while he was hopeful he would fully recover and be able to return to athletics, he did not want to speak too much on the matter as his health prognosis might change.

The young athlete from Ndwedwe had a promising sporting career and had competed in two international triathlons. His doctors said yesterday they had been impressed with his recovery over the past few weeks and expected he would be able to walk soon.

They said there was a chance Gwala would go back to competitive athletics within a year.

“We are quite happy with the progress he has made so far, as it has been beyond what we had expected,” said Dr O’Sharran Singh, a plastic surgeon at St Augustine’s Hospital in Durban.

“He was able to take his first steps aided by the physiotherapist. It was a difficult operation that lasted about five hours. We had to repair his tendon, his nerves and his skin.

“We normally see a number of chainsaw injuries, but not injuries like this that were deliberate.”

The police said Gwala’s case was still under investigation and that no arrests had been made.

The Mercury