Well-known Havelock North community member Joga Singh-Chamber is recovering in hospital. Photo / Supplied
Well-known Havelock North community member Joga Singh-Chamber is recovering in hospital. Photo / Supplied
A beloved grandfather and taxi driver has suffered a brain bleed and is yet to start walking again following an attack while on the job in Hastings, his family says.
Joga "Jimmy" Singh-Chamber, 62 - who only started driving a taxi a month ago and is also an owner ofVillage Green Cafe in Havelock North - is slowly recovering in Wellington Hospital following an assault on Saturday night in Flaxmere.
His family told Hawke's Bay Today no taxi driver or any worker should have to worry about not returning home safely from work.
"That is not how it should be," daughter Parveen Dushila said.
"He is not a young man - he is towards the retirement age - and to have something like this happen to him is really concerning and really sickening.
"When we got the call on Sunday morning we were basically in disbelief something like this would happen."
Many of Singh-Chamber's family have dropped everything to be with him in Wellington Hospital to support him in his recovery, which doctors believe could require time in rehab and leave him with lifelong impacts.
"There has been a bleed on the brain which will obviously have major impacts on him."
She said she was not sure of the extent of his facial injuries but he had suffered multiple face fractures and a broken jaw.
"We have been told by the doctors he may need to go to rehab after he has been discharged from hospital. So, it is all up in the air at the moment [in terms of his recovery]."
She said he underwent jaw surgery on Thursday, and had barely eaten since the incident.
A large gathering of taxi drivers and members of the Sikh community outside court this week in a show of solidarity for their friend. Photo / Supplied
Dushila said he was also yet to walk again and was finding it hard to communicate with family and nurses.
"[Wednesday and Tuesday] were the first days he could understand what we were saying."
Singh-Chamber, from Havelock North, was initially taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital but was later flown to Wellington Hospital for treatment.
His daughter said police had been very good, arresting the alleged attacker quickly.
The alleged offender, a 32-year-old man, has been charged with wounding with intent to injure related to the assault, and was granted bail on Monday in the Hastings District Court during his first appearance.
He has interim name suppression and is due back in court in August.
Taxi drivers and members of the Hastings Sikh community gathered outside court on Monday to show solidarity for their friend and also display their growing concerns about violent attacks in the community.
Multicultural Association Hawke's Bay former president Sukhdeep Singh told Hawke's Bay Today this week another event may be organised to raise awareness and put a stop to serious violence against workers.
