The two men charged with the brutal rape of two Chatsworth grandmothers, inside the Saiva Sithantha Gurukulam Temple, in Moorton, on Saturday morning, are expected to plead guilty in the Durban Magistrate's Court, today (Wednesday).
And while their fate may appear to be sealed, the future of both women remains under a dark cloud, as they anxiously await the results of their HIV and Aids tests.
Formerly of the Eastern Cape, Mthoblei Gqoli, 27, and Zukile Ndudumela, 28, now of the Crossmoor Informal Settlement, are facing charges of rape and robbery. In the Chatsworth Magistrate's Court, yesterday (Tuesday), before Magistrate Sylvia Busisiwe Mkhulisi, the duo abandoned their bail application and agreed to plead guilty on both counts.
They were remanded in custody to the Bellair police station. Both could face life imprisonment if convicted on both counts. Also, if they are found to be HIV positive, they could also be charged with attempted murder.
At about 7am on Saturday, both Moorton women, one of whom is 61 years old and married and the other a 52-year-old widow, had gone to the temple to clean the shrine, in preparation for the temple's weekly Sunday morning service. One of the women had also carried a hammer and some nails to do repairs.
It has been alleged that while inside the temple, they were confronted by Gqoli and Ndudumela, who demanded jewellery, cellphones and other valuables. They allegedly ransacked the temple and when they did not find anything valuable, turned their attention to the women.
They allegedly forced the women into separate rooms inside the temple, where they sexually violated them. During this time one of the women was also brutally assaulted with the hammer after she attempted to fight off her assailant. The men robbed the women of their thali chains (a sacred marriage thread) and cash.
A passer-by, who heard the women's screams for help, alerted police. Minutes later, Gqoli was nabbed at the scene while Ndudumela was arrested on Sunday morning, at his Crossmoor home by members of the Durban South Dog Unit and the Chatsworth SAPF Task Team.
Yesterday a high profile political, religious, and community delegation comprising MEC for Human Settlements, Maggie Govender, Minority Front leader Amichand Rajbansi, DA councillor Rocky Naidoo, Les Govender (IFP), Chatsworth Community Policing Forum head Logan Chetty, Dr Kalappen Moodley (ANC), Visvin Reddy (ANC), Devin Moodley (DA), Chatsworth and District Against Crime chairman Paul Lutchman and George Madurai (SA World Saiva Council), gathered in a united front outside the Chatsworth Magistrate's Court, calling for swift justice.
Tensions ran high inside and outside the court, as angry, placard carrying protesters called for government to bring back the death penalty. Rajbansi lashed out at the ANC-led government, criticising them for not doing enough to combat crime while DA councillor Rocky Naidoo attributed the high crime rate to the burgeoning informal settlements.
MEC Govender, who had earlier met with both families, said she was "disgusted" by the incident. With August being Women's Month, Govender said "this brutal act of violence is unacceptable".
She pledged additional counselling and support services to the women.
Madurai of the World Saiva Council said they believed the suspects should be imprisoned for life with no parole, while Lovie Naidoo of the Saivite Temple and Deputy Guru of the Montford Saiva Sungam, Cookie Moodley, said the death sentence was the only appropriate punishment. They said it was a "sick" act committed in God's house.
Kamala Roy, 76, of the Croftdene Sai Temple, said she believed "their tools need to be chopped off" to prevent further violent crimes against women.
She appealed to the victims to be strong and to be reassured of community support. Les Govender confirmed that the Chatsworth Child Welfare Society and the Community Crisis Centre had already started counselling the women. He added they were also receiving anti-retroviral treatment from RK Khan Hospital.
"The women are extremely emotional and fragile.
They will be on the ARVs (Antiretrovirals) for the next six months. They are extremely worried about being infected with the virus and the side-effects of the ARVs which could affect their appetites and emotions. However, with counselling we hope to reassure them."
The 61-year-old victim's sister, said she (the victim) was extremely traumatised and her family appealed to government to get tough on criminals.
"This was a horrific attack and my sister's life will never be the same again. She also has the additional burden of worrying about her HIV status. I pray these criminals rot in hell for what they have done."