Cape Town - A clearer picture is emerging of what happened to Sanet de Lange who woke up bloodied in hospital after a night of clubbing in Claremont last month.
It seems De Lange’s apparent attacker returned to find her after she had initially got away.
This week Jack Brice, a private investigator hired by her family, said she had been assaulted by a man who tried to take her to his home.
Police have also released a closed-circuit security image of a man they believe could help their investigation.
De Lange,18, said she was attacked early on July 10 after leaving the nightclub Tiger Tiger, and ended up fleeing for her life after hailing a taxi.
Days after the attack she told the Cape Argus she recalled “running really fast” and that she thought she had jumped out the taxi.
She said police had thought she was dead when they found her hiding under a pile of dirt and leaves. De Lange, who had a head wound, cuts and bruises, said officers had taken her to Rondebosch police station.
Last month police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut said the SAPS was investigating the validity of De Lange’s claims. Police were seeking the man in the still from the surveillance footage.
Brice said he had a rough idea of what had happened to De Lange that night.
He believed that three men had targeted her in the club, followed her to a nearby fast food outlet and then one of them had got into a taxi with her.
Brice said he had contacted the taxi driver.
According to the driver, he had driven De Lange and a man to the man’s flat. The driver accompanied him to get money for the fare. “When the driver came down he saw this girl running away.” She had run and hidden away, Brice said the driver told him.
The driver and the man got back into the taxi to find her.
“He told the driver that he needs to get this ‘chick’’ because she was drunk. He wanted her to sleep over at his house.”
Brice supplied a photograph of De Lange’s hiding spot, which showed a brick ledge, a gate and a small leafy patch .
Brice said after driving the man around for about 10 minutes, the taxi driver said he dropped the man near a well-lit grocery shop.
“I believe during this time she thought the coast was clear and walked to the back of (the grocery shop),” Brice said.
“In between these two sections (the well and poorly lit points) he must’ve got hold of her… That’s where the assault took place. Obviously she did not want to go home with him and that’s how it happened.”
Brice said a club owner found De Lange on Main Road where flower sellers operate by day, and called the police.
Anyone with information about the man in the surveillance shot should contact Detective Captain Nathan Arries on 082 469 2492.
Weekend Argus