Cynthia Dobrowsky

Cynthia Dobrowsky (1934 - 2005)

Brief overview:

Cynthia (71), was shot dead, while travelling on the Umgazi River holiday resort gravel road with her husband and friends on 31st May, when the convoy came under fire during an ambush. Cynthia collapsed in the front seat and died instantly. Friends in the car behind them were also chased and shot at, and John Clarke Perks (72), was seriously wounded.

Although not reported on at the time, John passed away nine days later, on 9th June 2005.

"Lorraine Cotterell (65), one of two friends travelling with the Dobrowskys, told how her friend had been shot in front of her. "We were driving slowly along the gravel road. At first, I thought a piece of gravel had hit the windscreen, but there was a terrible explosion and then Cynthia said she'd been shot." According to Cotterell, Dobrowsky lost consciousness and she and Elmien Fletcher (69), battled to keep their wounded friend's head upright while her husband raced away from the attack."

The vehicles split up, and Cynthia's husband, Dick (74), headed off towards Port St Johns a few kilometres further on, and friend Ivor Phillips (69), raced towards Umtata in an attempt to save John Perks's life.

Cynthia was declared dead at a clinic in Port St Johns. John Perks was operated on at St Mary's Hospital in Umtata. "During an operation on Tuesday evening, the bullet could not be removed from my father's spine because it was too dangerous. All we can do now is pray that he gets better,” said John’s son Robin.

It is believed the bullet that hit John first passed through the arm of Ivor Phillips, who had been driving. Ivor was later taken by helicopter to St Dominic's Hospital in East London.

The eight people all came from Gonubie, near East London, and had known each other for between five and 30 years.

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
• Funeral/Memorial
• The Farm/Smallholding
• The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)

Attack Details:

• Date and time of attack
• Weapons
• Items Stolen
• Investigative officer/SAPS Case No:
• Torture, Gratuitous violence
• Indications of Hate Crime? Threats etc.

Perpetrator details:

• Number and Descriptions
• Arrests
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction

Additional Biographical Information:

• ID Number : 3401180015080
• Cause of death : UNNATURAL CAUSES
• Cynthia married Donald Wallace Dobrowsky on 20/03/1954
• https://www.gendatabase.com/deceased-record.php?q=3241658&r=CYNTHIA...

Links to Media articles:

• https://archive.is/H9goT