Johannesburg - One of the survivors of an attack in Rhodes Park in Kensington, Johannesburg last year, has told the High Court sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court how her attackers laughed after sexually assaulting her and raping her friend.
The woman, her husband and another couple were attacked by a large gang of men on October 17, 2015. Both of their husbands were tied up and forced into the dam where they drowned.
The woman, who cannot be named, described her terrifying ordeal after her husband was murdered. She told the court that some of the men left and only two remained. One was armed with a gun, the other had a knife.
“The one carrying a knife came to me and the gunman went to my friend. My attacker tried numerous times to penetrate me with his penis but he failed because his penis was soft, he then used his fingers, after he was done he got up and when I looked on the side I saw my friend being raped by the gunman,” she said.
She said their attackers laughed at them afterwards and told them they were fools and their husbands were also fools for trying to swim in a dam instead of swimming in a pool.
“When they left we saw a head in the water and we spoke to the head trying to find out who it was but the head didn’t reply. After a short moment the head went inside the water,” she said in between tears.
After getting help and being taken to the police station, the woman said she told officers she wasn’t raped because at that time she wasn’t aware that even when fingers are inserted in private parts, the act is also considered rape. As a result, she wasn’t examined by a doctor.
“These men took my husband’s life, they took my friend, they took someone who supported me, but I forgive them. God will be the one to pass his judgement, they don’t know the kind of man they took, they took a praying man,” she said, unable to hold back her tears.
Social workers and counsellors rushed to her aid and consoled her by rubbing her back and offering her water.
Thabo Nkala (25), Admore Ndlovu (23) and Mduduzi Mathibela Lawrence (32) have been charged with robbery with aggravating circumstances, rape and murder. On Tuesday they pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The matter was postponed to Thursday.
African News Agency