The elderly victim of a road-rage attack has died in an Alberton hospital, his family confirmed on Monday.
Hospitalised for lung problems three weeks ago, Joe Duffy (83) broke his hip while in the Union Hospital, his daughter Jennifer Burgess said.
His condition took a turn for the worse in the early hours of Sunday, and he died at 5.20am.
”He could not live with the thought of having to be looked after like a baby in frail care,” she said.
”In a way we are glad to see him out of the suffering.”
She believed his life was shortened by the road-rage incident in which his nose, jaw and cheekbones were broken and his skull cracked in May.
”He was not the same after that,” she said. ”He could have lived another five or six years, even longer.”
However, she does not believe his alleged assailant should be charged with murder.
Motorist Andre Decker, of Northcliff, handed himself over to the police after the incident and was charged with assault with the intent to commit grievous bodily harm. He was granted bail of R1 000.
Duffy had been driving to his home in Alberton after a church service when he slammed into the back of a car that pulled in front of him on Swartkoppies Road.
The driver assaulted him after accusing him of being drunk.
Both she and her father had forgiven his assailant, Burgess said.
”My dad said he held nothing against this man.” — Sapa