Help acid victim regain his sight

ACID attack victim Bongani Lerumo needs R28,000 more to have an operation that could help him regain his sight.

Lerumo, 27, of Ekangala near Bronhortspruit, was blinded when two hitchhikers attacked him in April last year.

He was scalded with acid and as a result suffered terrible burns to the face.

He also went blind.

Lerumo had stopped at the petrol filling station to give his cousin's friend a lift when the two men approached him and asked for a lift.

"After about a kilometre the men told me to drop them off because they had forgotten something at the filling station. I stopped the car and immediately felt something very hot over my head, like I was literally burning. I quickly jumped out of the car and ran away," he said.

Lerumo was later taken to hospital for treatment.

One of the suspects, Stanley Masepe, was arrested in Witbank on a rape charge while the other is still on the run.

Lerumo's cousin Lucky Sithole said the operation would cost about R100,000 and since the news about Lerumo broke R72,000 has been raised .

Sithole said he had approached a number of companies asking for help.

"Around November last year, I started writing to a several companies seeking help. Two companies have shown interest but we are still waiting for them," Sithole said.