KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC, Mrs Nonhlanhla Khoza, has called on police to track down a jilted ex-boyfriend who stabbed a woman 14 times before leaving her for death.

The pair had known each other for some time and have a child together, but had recently split. It's alleged that the ex-boyfriend entered the woman's house in Willowfountain, KwaTomu area while sleeping on Christmas weekend and demanded her to rekindle his affair with him.

After she refused, the man threatened to kill her and children, and pull her out of the bed. The heartless man stabbed the 36-year-old woman and left her for death. The victim we rushed to hospital after she crawled to the neighbours house.

Reacting to this horrific incident, MEC Khoza said the woman was lucky to survive.

"We are extremely concerned that this man is still at large and we fear that he might come back to finish her off. The woman had ended their relationship and the attempt to get her back failed. This man decided to abuse and stab the defenseless woman who had lost interest in him," said MEC Khoza.

She described the man's action as cowardly.

"We want to see this man being caught and spend long time in prison for abusing the woman. As the province, we have been dealing with a lot of incidents of gender-based violence and we want to see all those involved being arrested and successfully prosecuted," she added.

MEC Khoza also indicated that the social workers would also explore the option of removing the victim from her home to a safe place.

She also called on members of the public to work with the police to ensure that the perpetrator gets arrested.

"We need communities to work closely with law enforcement agencies, government and all other sectors to end the scourge of gender-based violence," she said.

The Department has despatched a team of social workers to provide psycho-social support to the victim and her children.

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT