A 27-year-old woman has told of how she survived a brutal attack allegedly in the hands of her ex-lover who demanded she take him back.
The woman, who cannot be named to protect her identity as she revealed that the man also raped her, told Sowetan that she was grateful to be alive. The incident happened on Friday.
"I prayed [as he drove around with me] during the attack for God to spare my life. That on it's own is a miracle because I survived, " she said from her hospital bed on Tuesday.
The mother of one relived how the man kidnapped her from her home in Siyabuswa, Mpumalanga, after she went out to park her car.
The woman said it was past 8pm when he pounced on her.
"I had just had a little chat with my neighbour and while trying to lock the gate, my ex-boyfriend appeared out of nowhere and forced me into his car.”
She said he drove around with her for more than an hour while intimidating and slapping her in the face, demanding to know why she dumped him.
She said she had been in a relationship with him for five years and ended it in May because he was aggressive and emotionally abusive.
"I decided to leave him but he followed me and tried to kill me,” she said.
The woman said her ex-lover took her to an unknown location and tortured her overnight.
"I don't know where [we were], it was dark. I was bleeding.
"He tied me up in the cold dark place. He said he wanted to kill me because I had left him after everything he had done for me and my child who is biologically not his. I want justice because now I'm partially blind.”
She said the man was armed and hit her with a firearm in her face and head, leaving her unconscious.
"After beating, kicking and chocking me, he raped me and left me naked. He repeatedly raped me while reminding me that he owned me and that I owed it to him to sleep with him at any time he desired.”
She said the man then took her to his house.
"The next morning, he drove out and forgot his phone. I took it and called my sister and my family who came and rescued me.”
Provincial police spokesperson Col Donald Mdluli said Samaya Mahlangu could assist with investigation in the case.
"Three cases of kidnapping, rape and attempted murder have been opened. We plead that anyone who may know or see Samaya to inform the police. We also [request] Samaya himself to contact the police for questioning.”
The woman's neighbour, Lindiwe Mahlangu, said she was aware that the couple had broken up but did not think he would attack her this way.
"She went missing on Friday and we were puzzled. So when her family called me to assist in finding her, we took it lightly and thought she would return.”
Mahlangu said the couple always appeared happy.
Mdluli requested anyone with information to contact Det-Capt Masombuka from the family violence, child protection and sexual offences unit on 072-658-6845.
