Johannesburg – The South Gauteng High Court has heard how two women who were raped in 2015 at Rhodes Park have since tried to commit suicide.
They were attacked by a group of men, and their husbands were ordered into the lake where they drowned, leaving them so devastated they attempted to end their lives.
This was the testimony on Wednesday of a supervisor at a Braamfontein non-profit organisation, Ikhaya Lethemba.
Pfurisa Norah Baloyi said the two women stayed at the shelter for survivors of violence for a year. She told the court that in August 2016 both women tried to take their lives.
“They said they can’t endure the pain and would rather die and join their husbands.”
She said one of the women swallowed 30 tablets, while the other one drank half a bottle of bleach and as a result they were hospitalised for two days.
Baloyi was one of two witnesses called by the state to testify in aggravation of sentence.
She also told the court that she conducts spiritual counselling at the centre with all victims of abuse and violence, and both women had difficulty recalling what they had been taught.
“I don’t think they have recovered, it’s still a long way…According to me, they no longer need social workers, they need help from psychiatric professionals,” he said.
On 17 October 2015, a group of eight men including Mduduzi Lawrence Mathibela, 33, Edmore Ndlovu, 24, and Thabo Nkala, 26, accosted and robbed two couples who had been taking a stroll at Rhodes Park in Kensington.
They have been found guilty of robbery, two counts of rape and two counts of murder.
The trio have denied their involvement in the attack, despite the fact that CCTV footage showed them running from the park minutes after the incident.
Only Mathibela’s DNA was found on one of the victims which directly pinned him to the rape.
The second witness to take the stand was a trauma specialist, Professor Malose Langa.
Langa, who has been assessing the victims, told the court that the women have suffered severely because of the incident and will be forever tormented by the ordeal.
He said one of the women is still angry and wished the perpetrators would die the same way they killed her husband.
He explained that they were not likely to recover from the incident and still need therapy and medication.
Langa said both women had been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and were taking antidepressants. One of the women had to be given a stronger dosage because she wasn’t coping and the medication was still not working.
Judge Papi Masopa asked Langa if it was possible for the victims to recover.
“It’s unfortunate memories will stay with them for their rest of their lives. Outside they look fine, but their souls have been damaged … According to my opinion they will never recover, their symptoms are severe,” he said.
The matter was adjourned until Wednesday afternoon when the State is expected to make final arguments for aggravation of sentence.