Durban — A woman, who was allegedly raped by a 45-year-old man suspected of being a serial rapist and killer in the Queensburgh area, has spoken out about the trauma of her rape and how it has affected her life.
Speaking outside the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday where the trial was meant to have gotten under way but did not due to a power outage, she said she was living in fear – and in debt, after losing her job and having to settle for less gainful employment after the rape.
“My life has been destroyed, from day one I have not been coping. I had to find new accommodation, I have been moving from pillar to post because of finances; I lost my job.
“I’m currently working where I get paid less than previously. This has put me in debt. I have had to go under debt review because I was scared to lose my assets. I am living under a lot of fear,” she said.
Due to the power outage at court, the trial was moved to a later date. The accused can only be named once he pleads. He is charged with rape, two counts of housebreaking, and one robbery.
He had previously been charged with two counts of murder, two counts of rape and house robberies.
However, the two murder charges were provisionally withdrawn while the State continued investigating.
It is said that the man had made it hard for police to identify him in the past as he cleaned the scene, including his victims, with sanitiser after the crime, to eliminate DNA.
He had also allegedly gone to the lengths of biting his fingertips in a bid to not leave any evidence, and making it impossible for police to take his fingerprints upon arrest in the past.
The two murder charges that were provisionally withdrawn relate to Malvern residents, 40-year-old Evidence Ntombikile Seager and 72-year-old Savithree Moodley.
The rape victim said she was scared because she had no guarantee that the accused did not have allies on the outside who could possibly hurt her, given that her case was the only one with solid evidence.
She said following the rape she requested to be placed under witness protection, but this was rejected.
“I am all alone, rape is a taboo in my culture, so I have been washed away from my family, I have no one by my side. This has been hard on me financially and emotionally. The friends I had have left me out in the cold because they don’t want to associate with someone who was raped and I can’t trust anyone anymore.”
The woman said that before the rape she was ready to relocate to a new job.
“After this, I could not relocate because I had to be here in Durban so that police could be in contact with me. Right now I feel that the justice system is not doing much for me, none of my stolen goods have been returned. There’s a new investigating officer that I have seen once or twice, as opposed to the old one who was helpful, but he had to be taken off the case as he had been involved in the arrest of the accused for another matter prior to mine, and he was released.”
She said that as far as she knew, the accused had done this before.
“It’s habitual, it’s a pattern, and unfortunately I feel like I am being used to put him away. I constantly have to move and be out of Durban because I don’t feel safe.”
After losing her job, she said she had lost everything.
“My lifestyle is different from what is used to be, I can’t even afford clothes. If the death penalty was there it would be good, but if I could have a gun in my hand I’d shoot him myself so I can be at peace.”
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