Speaking to Kathorus MAIL following the launch of the annual anti-family violence campaign, the Kathorus SAPS spokesperson, Capt. Mega Ndobe, said the police have noticed a worrying trend in the number of domestic violence cases involving women that have been reported at police stations around Kathorus, since the campaign was launched a fortnight ago.
According to Capt. Ndobe, at least six women have been detained by the police around Kathorus on charges of violent crimes against their male spouses.
Ndobe said most of these reported cases include acts of domestic violence, grievous bodily harm, as well as an attempted murder, and a murder case involving a 50-year-old Eden Park woman and her 42-year-old lover at the Tsietsi informal.
The 50-year-old from Eden Park is alleged to have fatally stabbed her 42-year-old boyfriend to death during a lover’s quarrel at the nearby Tsietsi low-cost housing complex on December 6.
She is reported to have fled the scene after the incident, leaving the dying man to bleed to death.
Details from neighbours reveal the killing could have been a love-triangle dispute between the alleged killer and her victim.
“We’ve learnt that an argument ensued between the deceased and the suspect over a third woman and that during the argument the deceased was fatally stabbed,” explained Capt. Ndobe.
The man’s lifeless body was found the next day after concerned neighbours, who heard noises of the couple quarrelling the previous night, summoned the police and paramedics to the scene.
At the time of writing, the 50-year-old female suspect was said to be still on the run and had not yet been apprehended by the police.
Other domestic violence cases currently investigated by the Kathorus police involving women suspects since the start of the 16 Days campaign:
· 23-year-old Katlehong North woman arrested for attempted murder.
· 31-year-old Dawn Park woman arrested for possession of dagga.
· 22-year-old Vosloorus woman arrested for assault and GHB.
· 50-year-old Eden Park woman arrested for the murder.
· 2 young women arrested in Katlehong for theft and shop-lifting.
The police have blamed the excessive use of alcohol as the biggest contributor to the high crime rate in the townships, especially over the weekends.
“This is the time when everybody has money and people want to entertain and impress their friends. But it is the time when many of these people cannot handle alcohol and this sometimes leads to fights,” explained Capt. Ndobe as he discussed the problems faced by the police at this time of the year.
“We would like to warn residents to refrain from excessive drinking during this festive season to avoid unnecessary conflicts. It is often such conflicts that lead to acts of serious crime, including murder”, said Capt. Ndobe.
Capt. Ndobe told Kathorus MAIL that all the accused in these cases would be appear differently for formal remands at the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court while further investigations are conducted.
