Croc 'wanted to turn me into mincemeat'

Johannesburg, South Africa



05 March 2007 04:42

A Limpopo man has fought off a crocodile with a flick knife after the reptile grabbed his leg, News24 reported on Monday.

It said Michael Sithole (37) of Sasekani village near Tzaneen was fishing from a rock when the crocodile attacked. "It wanted to turn me into mincemeat," he said.

The attack came last Tuesday afternoon after Sithole had spent a long day fishing along the banks of the Letaba River. "I had taken a dip to cool off and was sitting on the rock with a cloth over my face when I suddenly felt a bite on my thigh," he said.

When he realised what was happening, he grabbed the flick knife he had used to cut his bread earlier in the day. "By the time I flipped it open, the crocodile had already dragged me to the middle of the river," he says.

Sithole stabbed the crocodile in its back, but the reptile's scales were too thick. He then went for the reptile's stomach, stabbing it four times. This was too much for the crocodile, which let him go.

"Thank goodness the knife was still new, so it was sharp enough to penetrate," he said.

Sithole was able to drag himself out of the river. Leaning on a stick, he made his way to a farm where his father works. He was then taken to Letaba Hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries to his right leg and hands. -- Sapa

Man, he'd better be careful when spelling his last name!!!

Red

Yes, you're right. And by the way that might have been the exact area on the crocodile that he would have passed through had he not stabbed the croc with the "new" knife.