A 59-year-old woman is fighting for her life in hospital after being rescued by her daughter as her husband allegedly attacked her with an axe.

Vuyisile Masina of Kwa-Thema, on the East Rand, was moved from a local hospital's intensive care unit to a recovery ward yesterday, but was unable to speak to SowetanLIVE.

Her daughter, Malibongwe Vilakazi, 23, yesterday told Sowetan how she wrestled with her stepfather, snatched the axe from him and saved her mother's life.

"I heard my mother scream in the bathroom corridor around 5am on Tuesday. I jumped out of bed and found my stepdad butchering her with an axe. She was bleeding profusely, and the floor was turning into a pool of blood," said Vilakazi.

She said although she was scared, she summoned courage and jumped at the man, reached for the axe and sat on top of him.

Masina then escaped and ran into her bedroom.

"If I was not there, my mother could have died because this man was not just assaulting her, he was killing her," said Vilakazi.

Vilakazi said her mother suffered severe injuries and received nine stitches on the head, 16 on her arm and 14 on her back.

"I'm really terrified because she has suffered so much pain," she said.

"I immediately called paramedics with the help of the neighbours, and the police were also called.

"I almost lost my mom and I don't wish for anyone to go through this. Domestic violence is painful and I'm opening up because this man once stabbed me in the head while he was fighting my mom, and I was hospitalised," said Vilakazi.

"I was left with a knife in my head and it had to be removed in hospital because I was trying to stop the man from stabbing her."

Vilakazi said they have been living with the man for 16 years, and he has always been abusive to the family.

"He also stabbed his own brother and ripped his stomach open but got away with it. I hope this time he does not come out. Justice must really prevail. He is a bully and a violent person whom I no longer wish to be around," said Vilakazi.

She encouraged women who face domestic violence to speak out and get help before it's too late. "I do not know why my mother does not leave this man because he is very abusive," Vilakazi said.

KwaThema police spokesperson Const Media Khoza said a 59-year-old man was arrested for attempted murder.

"The police have opened an assault GBH [with intent to cause grievous bodily harm] case, but after the observation of the seriousness of the victim's condition, police have added an attempted murder charge," said Khoza.

The man appeared briefly in the Springs magistrate's court. Police said he was due back in court soon.