Lungi Langa
An 84-year-old grandmother heroically escaped the clutches of a 21-year-old rapist by sneaking away after her attacker fell asleep.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, the man allegedly broke into the woman’s home in Esibizana village in the Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma local municipality, KwaZulu-Natal.
The victim’s daughter was meant to be staying with her for the night, but tragically decided instead to stay with her grandmother after going out with friends.
“I regret not going back home that night on Saturday, because this would not have happened. This boy wouldn’t have gone into the house and raped my mother,” the victim’s daughter, who cannot be named, told Scrolla.Africa.
After the attack, the alleged assailant fell asleep in the victim’s bed. Seizing her opportunity, the victim managed to escape the house without rousing her attacker.
Mthobisi Dlamini, councillor for ward 8, said the grandmother got help from a neighbour, who entered her room to find the alleged rapist fast asleep and naked on the bed.
They called the police and the man was arrested.
The victim’s daughter said that her mother is so traumatised by the attack that she has asked her family to “mix poison for her so that she could take it and die”.
“I wish I had the strength to make him feel the pain he caused my mother and our family,” she said.
“As we speak my mother is complaining of having pains all over her body.”
Dlamini said it was unfortunate that the attacker chose to break in when the victim’s daughter was not around, but the community does not blame her.
“The daughter takes care of her mother religiously. It is unfortunate that she was not at home and this man came in and did this,” he said.
Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza has called on the law to show no mercy to the man and for him to serve a long time in jail after committing such a horrible crime.
KZN police spokesperson, Lt Col Nqobile Gwala, confirmed that police had arrested the man for rape and that he was expected to appear in court.
