Cape Town - After two months in Tygerberg Hospital, Lehlaseli Moruri is unable to speak, walk or eat on her own.
This is after she was attacked and beaten with a building brick by Msimelo Swikile in Khayelitsha. Swikile was later granted bail and is now back in the community, where the incident took place.
The community is now preparing to write to Police Minister Bheki Cele, as they are unhappy with how the matter was handled.
The woman’s mother, Lebo Moruri, said she now had to care for her daughter who suffered brain damage during the attack.
Outraged community members who have been assisting Moruri and her daughter said they were preparing to write to Cele.
Moruri said her daughter had allegedly been drinking with the accused and when she refused to be in his company any longer, or give him sexual attention, he allegedly began beating her using a building block.
“They started drinking and he was apparently talking to her in a sexual way,” explained Moruri.
“But my daughter was not interested and she wanted to leave.
“As she walked out to leave, her attacker began dragging her and pulling her by her hair and took a building brick and was beating her.”
She said an ambulance had been called to the scene and she had rushed to her daughter’s side after being informed by residents and immediately knew that something was wrong.
The attacker later fled and was arrested by police a few days later, thanks to alert community members.
“By then she could not even speak with me,” said the mother.
“The person who attacked her was still on the scene and I asked why he had attacked my daughter.
“He claimed she had left the place where they were at and when she returned she was in the state that she was.”
The young woman was declared critical and doctors were fighting for her life.
“She had a severe head injury and there was brain damage,” she added.
Then the reality struck that her daughter would never be the same again and now is wheelchair-bound and unable to care for herself.
“I had a 24-year-old and now I have a 2-year-old, I have to do everything for my daughter,” she explained.
“She cannot even stand on her own. When she talks it is more like she is mumbling but she understands what you are saying.”
Neighbour Primrose Siga said they were fed up with the justice system after the man was granted bail.
“When the mother opened up a case, she heard that he has apparently done this before to another woman and now he is back here in the community and we do not feel safe, we do not want him here.
“I want to write to Bheki Cele to ask why he is outside.”
The mother claimed she was informed that the man had allegedly drowned another woman he had been dating in bath water.
Another resident, Linda Kolosa, who assisted the family said after the incident they held a community meeting.
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Wesley Twigg, confirmed that the man had been arrested and charged with attempted murder.
“A 46-year-old male was arrested in connection with the incident. The investigation continues.”