Durban - A woman who was critically injured when she was nearly disembowelled in a bloody knife attack remains under close police protection in a Durban hospital.
The woman, 25, is understood to have been two months pregnant. It was still unclear if she had lost the baby.
On Thursday last week, she was attacked by a man who has yet to be arrested, but police insist they are hot on his heels.
At the time of the incident, Reaction Unit South Africa spokesperson Prem Balram said the woman had been stabbed several times and was found lying on a flight of stairs near her workplace.
"The woman had been stabbed on her lips, arms and had her abdomen slit. The woman's intestines were sticking out of the open wound. Rusa paramedics stabilised the woman and rushed her to a government hospital," he said.
Balram alleged that the badly injured woman accused her boyfriend of the vicious assault.
"It was established that the woman worked at a local bakery and she had refused to see her boyfriend, who had pitched up on several occasions at her workplace.
"The victim had opened a criminal case against her attacker and on the night of the incident, he forced his way into her workplace and attacked her with a knife," he alleged.
"After stabbing her several times, he slit the woman's stomach and fled on foot. Local residents then took her to their home."
Balram said it was believed that the woman was attacked with the intention of harming the baby.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Mark Prakasim, said they anticipated the suspect would be arrested soon.
"We have gathered information that has led up to the Eastern Cape. The victim is currently under police guard."