Durban - A woman was repeatedly stabbed as a man stole her handbag in Ottawa near Verulam earlier on Friday.

Prem Balram of Reaction Unit South Africa said members were called out at about 11.40am to a shopping complex on the Old Main Road where the victim sought assistance.

"On arrival it was established that after alighting from a train, the woman was walking through an abandoned property to reach the Old Main Road when she was approached by a man who grabbed her handbag," he said.

"The woman held onto the bag when the suspect drew a knife and started cutting the straps of the bag. He then stabbed the victim multiple times on both her hands," he said.

"The suspect then fled on foot with the handbag which contained the victim’s cellphone and an envelope with her wages."