A Mitchells Plain dad accused of killing his tikkop son says he felt inspired after getting a surprise visit from Ellen Pakkies.
Sedick Abrahams, 62, will appear at the Mitchells Plain Magistrate's Court on Wednesday on a charge of murder.
Ellen was convicted of strangling her tik addict son, Adam, to death at her Lavender Hill home in 2007.
Sedick has admitted that he stabbed his son, Clinton, 28, in the chest in January, during a heated argument over a plate of food.
However, he says he was only defending himself and never meant to kill his son.
The pensioner said his family had endured “13 years of hell” at the hands of his druggie son.
He said Clinton stole from them, would hit him with pots and once wanted to throw boiling water on his mother, Myrtle, 53, but he managed to stop him.
On the fateful day, Clinton wanted him to pass him a plate of food, but started fighting with him.
He said Clinton picked up a knife and that he feared for his life.
During the scuffle, he “accidentally stabbed him in the chest”.
Sedick said on Tuesday that on 7 February, just before burying his son, Ellen arrived at his home.
“She came to talk to me about what had happened to her,” Sedick says.
Clinton
“We spoke about how drugs were affecting children in the community and she inspired me, she gave me hope. We went through the same thing, experienced the same thing.”
Joanie Fredericks, of the Mitchells Plain Impact Association, says Ellen has given her full support to the case.
“She was in a similar situation and she has given Sedick hope and she has promised to support him during the trial,” Joanie says.
Ellen became a household name in South Africa after she was convicted of strangling her son to death.
The Lavender Hill mother escaped jail time and was sentenced in 2008 to correctional supervision and 280 hours of community service.
The mom of four told the court how her drug addict son abused her over the years, stealing from her and breaking all her windows in fits of rage.
She had lived in fear and forced Adam to live in a hokkie in the backyard.
She said she tried getting help from cops many times, and once her son stabbed her.
The court found that Ellen was in a “dissociated” state of mind on the day she killed her son, due to years of repeated abuse.
Ellen strangled her son with a rope in the bathroom, closed the door and set off for work like nothing happened.
Hours later she asked to be taken to the police and admitted to taking her son’s life.
Ellen now goes around the country giving public talks about her experience.
Last year a movie about her life, Die Storie van Ellen Pakkies, was also released.
The Daily Voice could not reach Ellen for comment on Tuesday.
genevieve.serra@inl.co.za