Woman Stabbed 36 Times Held Her Head On While Crawling to Road

Alison Botha held her head on with one hand while pushing her organs back into her body with the other as she crawled toward the road.

She had been stabbed 36 times in the abdomen and her throat slashed 17 times.

On December 18, 1994, Frans du Toit and Theuns Kruger attacked Alison Botha in South Africa.

The men were already on parole for a different case at the time of the attack.

The Medical Response

Dr. Alexander Angelov stated he had never seen such severe injuries in his 16 years of practicing medicine.

Botha survived the attack and eventually testified against her attackers.

Legal Proceedings

Both Frans du Toit and Theuns Kruger pled guilty to eight charges including kidnapping and attempted murder, and were sentenced to life in prison in August 1995.

Judge Chris Jansen referred to the two men as "inherently evil" and sentenced them to life in prison with a recommendation they never be granted parole.

Parole and Re-incarceration

After serving 28 years, both men were granted parole in July 2023 and placed under supervision.

Botha wrote on Facebook about the parole decision: "The day I hoped and prayed would never come."

In February 2025, Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald cancelled parole for Frans du Toit and Theuns Kruger, and the individuals were reincarcerated.

Life After Survival

Botha married Tienie Botha and welcomed two sons, Daniel in November 2003 and Matthew in November 2006.

She traveled to at least 35 countries telling her story and was one of the first South African women to speak publicly about such attacks both at home and abroad.

The re-incarceration marked a shift that sends a message: survivors have the right to live without the constant terror of seeing their abusers back on the streets.