The Zimbabwean woman who had acid flung in her face in the city centre, believes the attack on her was not xenophobic and that she was merely an unfortunate victim.
Last night the woman, called Susan, recounted the attack on her last Tuesday.
At a media briefing at Idasa House, the 23-year-old said she had been waiting for a taxi after she left work at a surgery in Sea Point where she was employed as a receptionist.
Soon afterwards she spotted two suspicious-looking males.
“They seemed to be looking at me, but then they split up. When the taxi came I’d forgotten about them.”
But the men had also boarded the taxi. Susan said the suspects had been seated in the last row in the taxi and, when they disembarked near Strand Street, one of the men had produced a small bottle and flung the contents into her face.
“It looked like water, but it started burning. It didn’t stop, it was continuous.
“It was so unfortunate what happened to me, but I don’t think it was xenophobic. They didn’t know I’m Zimbabwean. I think it was just men taking advantage of me,” said a tearful Susan.
The taxi driver then took her and another passenger whose legs were burnt in the incident to Chris Barnard Memorial Hospital.
Apart from Susan’s right eye, her face and head remain wrapped in bandages, her lips still visibly bruised.
Susan sought refuge in CApe Town believing it was much “safer” than other cities like Joburg. She has only lived here for a few months.
Now she faces almost four years of reconstructive surgery which will cost an estimated R450 000.
Plastic surgeon Dr Mark van der Velde, who has offered to operate for free, said that in a case like Susan’s, the public health sector did not have adequate funding, resources or the specialised care to address her specific needs.
“She needs someone to really take an interest. One specialist with one plan,” he said.
Susan had her first surgery on Tuesday and the next operation was expected to take place on Monday.
The duration of each surgery was up to 25 hours long and includes skin grafting, tissue expansion and micro fat injections to settle her scars, said Van der Velde.
Police confirmed that one suspect had been arrested and charged with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
One of Susan’s employers, Dr Cyril Parker, said she was the victim of a “violent disfiguring crime”. Susan works for Parker and his wife, Dr Elisabeth Parker.
“These sorts of crimes should not even be contemplated,” said Cyril Parker.
He claimed that the acid used was readily available at hardware stores and was colour-coded.
“It’s alarming that such a toxic chemical is not regulated and can be easily bought,” said Parker.
Also in attendance at the briefing, Cosatu’s provincial gender co-coordinator, Elmo Geswindt, said the crime was “inhumane” and that trade unions together with the government needed to introduce more stringent laws to ensure that women were protected from such violent crimes.
Braam Hanekom, head of refugee rights group People Against Suffering, Suppression, Oppression and Poverty, said a trust fund set up to raise funds for Susan’s surgery was an opportunity for people to undo an injustice.
“It was an attack on human dignity and by helping we can try and make something good come out of something so evil,” he said.
The account details are:
Bank: Standard Bank, Name: Acid Attack Medical Expense Account,
Branch: Thibault Square, Account number: 074421395.
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