Cape woman assaulted at 'upmarket' nightclub

File picture: Skyler Reid/Independent Media

File picture: Skyler Reid/Independent Media

Published Aug 15, 2017

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Athlone - A pre-birthday celebration at a “prestigious venue” left a sour taste in the mouth of a woman who was celebrating her birthday with a few friends over the weekend. 

The woman, who chose to remain anonymous out of fear of retribution, said that a planned night out to experience a new club, The Address in Athlone, for her birthday party, ended with her being beaten up.

Following her assault, she says she got no joy from police at two stations who refused to take her statement when she went to lodge a complaint.

The woman said she and her party were harassed by a group of men who arrived at the club.

“While dancing, one of the guys...started dancing with my cousin but she pushed him away and another guy wanted to dance with me as well but I also pushed him away. For the rest of the evening they made comments as we passed them but we ignored them,” she said 

According to the woman, her cousin’s boyfriend and her father reprimanded the men when they would not leave her group alone. 

An altercation followed and her cousin's boyfriend was attacked. 

"When I jumped in and intervened I figured they would not hit a woman but then this guy hit me in the face with a square ring which led to my nose and face bleeding,” she said.

According to her, bouncers at the club "just stood there with their arms folded", allowing the assailants to leave the club.

Police would not take a statement from her because she had consumed alcohol, she was told.

The woman who lives in the northern suburbs said she then reported the case to her nearest police station. 

“I went to the police station in Bothasig to report the case and they told me because I had no name of the man and because there is no footage, nothing would come of the case if it was transferred to the Athlone police station.

"I was instead advised by the officer to expose the club on social media," she said. 

Club manager Andy Heynes who witnessed the incident said: “The patrons who entered the club late were foreigners and admittedly two of them were not dressed according to our dress code as they wore takkies but I made an exception as I sometimes do with foreigners wanting to experience the nightlife in Cape Town. 

“I tried to diffuse the situation but was not given a chance to. Following the attack we assisted the lady with her injuries and I apologised to all of them,” Heynes said.

Cape Times

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