on 6 september 1966, verwoerd was murdered in cape town, shortly after entering the house of assembly at 2:15 pm. a parliamentary messenger named dimitri tsafendas stabbed verwoerd in the neck and chest four times before other assembly members restrained him. members who were also trained as medical practitioners rushed to aid verwoerd and started giving cardiopulmonary resuscitation. verwoerd was rushed to groote schuur hospital, but was declared dead upon arrival.