Police saved a naked man from drowning in a reservoir in Delporthoop in the Northern Cape. Image: Envato Elements/Chalabala
Police saved a naked man from drowning in a reservoir in Delporthoop in the Northern Cape. Image: Envato Elements/Chalabala
A 33-year-old woman received support from hundreds of community members on Monday, when she appeared at the Mount Fletcher Magistrate’s Court in the Eastern Cape. However, this was no ordinary charge of murder – it is believed that Bongeka Mhlauli successfully defended herself and her family from a rapist.
Mount Fletcher rapist – how a mom-of-three fought off her attackers:
Court documents obtained by the Daily Dispatch don’t explicitly confirm that the intruder was there to sexually assault her. However, both the victim and her backers have claimed that he did try to rape her. It’s understood that she used a house-brick to fend off the attacker, striking him in the face with it.
Mhlauli was granted R1 000 bail and will return to court on Tuesday 7 May.
Residents and civil society groups are marching to the Mount Fletcher Magistrate's court Eastern Cape to demand the release of a 34 year old woman arrested after overpowering and killing a suspected rapist. @SakinaKamwendo #updateatnoon
— #UpdateAtNoon 104-107fm ? (@UpdateAtNoon) April 8, 2019
SAPS confirm “self-defence”
After sustaining the injuries, the intruder allegedly continued with his attempts to assault the mother-of-three before he finally succumbed to that heavy blow to the face, falling down unconscious at the property.
The Eastern Cape department of SAPS eventually released a statement after our initial inquiries on Monday. They confirmed that the Dangwene woman did have to act in self-defence after he continued to threaten Mhluali.
“Someone came into the house and it was dark inside. It is alleged the woman jumped out of bed and went straight to the door and pushed the figure/person outside. The [intruder] tried to assault her as well and then fell down and became unconscious in front of the house.”
SAPS (Eastern Cape)
The Lion Mama of Mount Fletcher?
This latest case has all the hallmarks of the “Lion Mama” story from 2017. Another mother of the Eastern Cape had actually caught a gang of rapists in the act at her home, as they assaulted her daughter. The
The mother instinctively reacted and fought off all of the men involved in the rape. When they tried to overpower her, she was able to stab one of the assailants, fatally wounding him in the process. The NPA then decided not to carry on with the case against her, as the chances of securing a prosecution were “negligible”.
