Cape Town – Property giant RE/MAX has suspended the services of estate agent Jarryd Phillips after it was revealed, via social media, that he had allegedly assaulted a woman in her home.
Dayle Reynolds posted her ordeal on social media platforms to create awareness around gender-based violence. The incident took place last year.
Reynolds wrote: “I was reluctant to share my story. Part of me wanted to put it behind me and forget but in light of Women’s Day, I decided to share my story to create awareness.
“After a year of struggling as a victim and survivor of gender-based violence and the long gruelling five-day trials in court, I finally took my power back and fought for justice against the person who tried to take my life.”
Reynolds recounted how Phillips allegedly beat her up and tried to kill her on June 22 last year.
The post included pictures of Reynolds with bruises on her face and neck, and a protection order against Phillips.
“He first pretended to want to kiss me and purposely bit right through my bottom lip. He then threw two butchers knives at me and smashed my cellphone so that I couldn’t call for help.
’’He proceeded to strangle me until I was unconscious. He also head-butted me multiple times, promising that he would kill me,” Reynolds wrote.
After the attack, Reynolds said Phillips had tried to bribe her with money as a settlement “to keep quiet, to forget about it”, which she said refused to accept.
“I knew that if he could do this to me and get away with it, he would do it to other women. Money doesn’t make abusive habits go away.
’’I wanted him to be criminally charged so that he could learn a lesson and take responsibilities for his actions.
“Let’s stop protecting the abusers, time to name and shame. A strong woman stands up for herself and takes back her personal power but a brave woman stands up for everyone to try and make a difference,” Reynolds said.
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said when a protection order is sought, it is accompanied with a warrant of arrest in the event of the respondent contravening the order, “whereafter police would action the arrest”.
It is unclear if Phillips had contravened the order after it was issued last year.
RE/MAX addressed the allegations in a statement on its website.
“It has recently been brought to our attention that a reported incident of gender-based violence has been alleged against one of our agents, Jarryd Phillips, in his personal capacity.
’’In view of this, RE/MAX of Southern Africa would like to clearly stipulate its zero-tolerance stance towards gender-based violence,” the statement read.
Adrian Goslett, chief executive and regional director of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, said: “RE/MAX SA stands firmly against and does not tolerate violence, particularly against women and children.
“We immediately suspended the agent’s services and removed him from the RE/MAX websites and systems on the same day that this was reported to us.”
Phillips was contracted to the RE/MAX Living franchise in the City Bowl as an independent contractor from October 2015 to November 2018.
He then joined the Berman Brothers property team before rejoining the RE/MAX Living City Bowl franchise at the end of July last year as an independent contractor.
Berman Brothers Properties sympathised with Reynolds’s ordeal while distancing themselves from Phillips, who had not been in the company’s employ for more than a year. Phillips could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Cape Times