Nearly a week after Khayelitsha resident Yamkela Sikhafungana, was brutally beaten and held against her will, police have arrested her boyfriend in connection with her assault.
According to relatives, the 26-year-old mother of one was allegedly beaten and held captive by her boyfriend after she came home late last Friday.
The victim’s sister, Yonela Sikhafungana, said she received a frantic call from the man on Saturday who claimed her sister was “missing”, only for the woman to be found by neighbours screaming for help on Monday.
Yonela said her younger sister left home with a friend on Friday afternoon and came back after 8pm where she was accused of infidelity.
“The boyfriend started to accuse her of cheating with foreign (nationals) in Parklands and started beating her. She was discharged (on Wednesday) from the KDH (Khayelitsha District Hospital). The bone of the nose is broken but she is coping,” she said.
Yonela said she was concerned when the boyfriend informed her that her sister was missing.
“I was shocked and we started looking around for her. We did not find her,” she explained.
And, on Monday, she asked a neighbour to go to the couple’s home and see if the boyfriend had heard anything on her sister’s whereabouts.
“The boyfriend refused to open the door and the victim started screaming in the background. The neighbour informed the community and the police were called,” she said.
Police spokesperson, Ndakhe Gwala said Harare police were investigating a case of Assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm which led to the arrest of the alleged perpetrator.
“A 35-year-old suspect has been arrested and detained at Harare SAPS. He will appear in the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court, once charged,” she said.
Chairperson of Community Police Forum (CPF) in Harare, Funeka Soldaat said she was concerned by the incident as she had been called to another similar matter in that area.
“This is very worrisome. ENkanini has been one of the areas faced with challenges of gender-based violence (GBV). It's very problematic. It is sad that the perpetrator was (only) arrested after a week.
“Since the case was reported by someone who knows the perpetrator, it was supposed to be easy for police to track him. This issue (of GBV) is continuing,” said Soldaat.
Khayelitsha CPF cluster chairperson Fransina Lukas appealed to police to see the case through, until a conviction is obtained.
“She (Sikhafungana) was deprived freedom for days. That is not only abuse, but kidnapping as well. (The perpetrator) does not deserve to be among people. It's really sad,” she said.