FLUNG onto a gravelled alleyway, an Empangeni woman decided to take a stand and threw punches in retaliation and sunk her teeth into the flesh of an aggressive attacker to prevent being raped in broad daylight.
On her way home from a local supermarket on Sunday morning, Winnie Mthembu (40) was caught unaware when a criminal approached her, demanding money and her cellphone.
‘I did not have money on me and I was not prepared to just hand over my phone.’ Winnie said.
‘He threw me on the ground and punched me. I punched him back. He then slapped me and slapped him back.
‘He then lifted my skirt and I bit his arm and then his hand.
‘For every hit I took, I hit back. I have heard of rape victims being overpowered by four or five men, so I was not going to allow just one man to do that to me.’ Winnie said.
Department of Correctional Services
This is one of many attacks that has taken place in the thoroughfare stretching between Piet Retief Road and Weightman Avenue belonging to the Department of Correctional Services – which was once used as a garden for prisoners.
Empangeni stalwart Ian Howell said what used to be well maintained and neat gardens are now derelict and unsafe open land.
‘People commuting down the path adjacent to the land are being attacked and robbed often.’ Howell said.
‘Lights work intermittently and the municipality has on request only come out once to cut the overgrown grass.
‘On Friday, another young woman was attacked by two men.
The one grabbed her laptop and fled, the other rough handled her in search of other valuables.
‘Folks in the neighbourhood heard her screams and exercised mob justice before the police arrived.’ Howell said.
The Zululand Observer is still awaiting comment from the Department of Correctional Services regarding the upkeep and future of the once flourishing garden cultivated by prisoners.
