Big former Springbok hooker Naka Drotske did not take his own personal safety into account when he charged four armed assailants in December because he believed the attackers wanted to kill.
Drotske was shot twice in the attack at his brother’s Pretoria home‚ but his heroics saved members of his family and his friend and fellow 1995 World Cup winner Os du Randt from injury.
“The day it happened I had just dropped my boys at OR Tambo [airport] because they were on their way to visit their mum in the USA‚ in Dallas‚” Drotske said after being discharged from hospital.
“I left them at about 7.15pm and went straight to my brother’s smallholding in Pretoria for a braai.
“I was sitting on the outside patio with my back to the garden when I heard Os and my brother‚ Thinus‚ screaming‚ ‘No‚ no‚ no’.
“When I turned around I saw four guys‚ wearing balaclavas‚ armed with guns‚ and spraying teargas as well.
“Instinct kicked in. I didn’t believe they were looking for money because our mobile phones and wallets were on the table in front of us. They saw that.
“They tried to force us into the house and I felt that if they got us in the house we were going to die.
“I knew that my brother’s two little boys [aged 13 and 11] were in the house as well as his partner’s daughter [aged 6]‚ and they would be in danger.”
Drotske‚ a fearless hooker in his day‚ showed no regard for his own personal safety‚ even though his subsequent injuries left him close to death.
He decided that attack was the best form of defence.
“I believed they had a different agenda and I just decided to attack them‚” Drotske said.
“There were some steps leading off the stoep and I knew if I could knock them down they would lose their balance and I could get my hands on a weapon.
“So I targeted the middle man – the leader – and took the other two or three with me down the stairs and onto the lawn.
“I was wrestling on top of him when he shot me in the stomach‚ another guy shot me through the arm and a third attacker shot but missed.
“My brother’s son had in the meantime pressed the panic button and by then sirens sounded and luckily they all ran away.
“My adrenalin was pumping and we all rushed back into the house and locked it. That was when Os saw me and said‚ “I think you’ve been shot.’ I assessed the wound and told him to get me to a hospital quickly.”
Drotske has undergone “around 10 operations” since and despite initially appearing to make a stunning recovery‚ he suffered a major setback when one of the wounds became infected.
He was then back in hospital for another 37 days.
“The doctors said it was touch and go at one stage‚ which you only really hear afterwards.
“They even called the family together to maybe start preparing them‚ but with God’s grace I got through it.”
As far as Drotske is aware none of the attackers has been arrested‚ but his brother no longer lives in the house.
“The police initially caught two alleged attackers but they were released due to lack of evidence‚” Drotske said.
“My brother was renting that house and they left the same day.”
‘We were going to die so I decided to attack them’
Image: Johan Pretorius/Gallo Images
Big former Springbok hooker Naka Drotske did not take his own personal safety into account when he charged four armed assailants in December because he believed the attackers wanted to kill.
Drotske was shot twice in the attack at his brother’s Pretoria home‚ but his heroics saved members of his family and his friend and fellow 1995 World Cup winner Os du Randt from injury.
“The day it happened I had just dropped my boys at OR Tambo [airport] because they were on their way to visit their mum in the USA‚ in Dallas‚” Drotske said after being discharged from hospital.
“I left them at about 7.15pm and went straight to my brother’s smallholding in Pretoria for a braai.
“I was sitting on the outside patio with my back to the garden when I heard Os and my brother‚ Thinus‚ screaming‚ ‘No‚ no‚ no’.
“When I turned around I saw four guys‚ wearing balaclavas‚ armed with guns‚ and spraying teargas as well.
“Instinct kicked in. I didn’t believe they were looking for money because our mobile phones and wallets were on the table in front of us. They saw that.
“They tried to force us into the house and I felt that if they got us in the house we were going to die.
“I knew that my brother’s two little boys [aged 13 and 11] were in the house as well as his partner’s daughter [aged 6]‚ and they would be in danger.”
Drotske‚ a fearless hooker in his day‚ showed no regard for his own personal safety‚ even though his subsequent injuries left him close to death.
He decided that attack was the best form of defence.
“I believed they had a different agenda and I just decided to attack them‚” Drotske said.
“There were some steps leading off the stoep and I knew if I could knock them down they would lose their balance and I could get my hands on a weapon.
“So I targeted the middle man – the leader – and took the other two or three with me down the stairs and onto the lawn.
“I was wrestling on top of him when he shot me in the stomach‚ another guy shot me through the arm and a third attacker shot but missed.
“My brother’s son had in the meantime pressed the panic button and by then sirens sounded and luckily they all ran away.
“My adrenalin was pumping and we all rushed back into the house and locked it. That was when Os saw me and said‚ “I think you’ve been shot.’ I assessed the wound and told him to get me to a hospital quickly.”
Drotske has undergone “around 10 operations” since and despite initially appearing to make a stunning recovery‚ he suffered a major setback when one of the wounds became infected.
He was then back in hospital for another 37 days.
“The doctors said it was touch and go at one stage‚ which you only really hear afterwards.
“They even called the family together to maybe start preparing them‚ but with God’s grace I got through it.”
As far as Drotske is aware none of the attackers has been arrested‚ but his brother no longer lives in the house.
“The police initially caught two alleged attackers but they were released due to lack of evidence‚” Drotske said.
“My brother was renting that house and they left the same day.”
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Latest Videos
Most Read
News
News
News
News
News