The scourge of women being abused in Vhembe shows no signs of abating. According to the director of Munna Ndi Nnyi, more than 100 women in the Vhembe District have been abused and killed by their partners in the past few months.
"Men are encouraged to protect and support their partners, but the question remains: 'When will it end?' Women have been subject to abuse and the results of this show daily, with some women becoming slaves of their own spouses," he said.
Tsakani (not her real name) from Muledane was attacked with an axe by her husband, who left her for dead. He took all her belongings, including a cell phone, so that she could not contact anyone for help, and left her bleeding.
Some concerned community members, after becoming aware of the incident, contacted the police and informed them about Tsakani's plight. The police finally arrived at the scene and rushed the victim to the nearest hospital.
The police instituted a search for the suspect, identified as *Shumani Negukhula, who evaded arrest from 13 to 18 July, when he was arrested at his home in Muledane.
Meanwhile, the director of Munna Ndi Nnyi, Dr Bardwell Mufunwaini, welcomed the victim at a centre for abused women, where they offered her counselling and sanctuary.
Mufunwaini said that since he started working at the organisation, he had never seen such a heartbreaking situation. "This type of case is terrifying," he said. "The woman was stabbed in such a barbaric way. What we saw was an instance of the cruelty that has taken over some men in Vhembe. They have no morals anymore. Women come in large numbers to report their partners. Men must learn to respect and protect their own. Gender-based abuse must come to an end."
The Thohoyandou police spokesperson, Capt Takalani Malogwa, said a case of domestic violence had been registered and opened against Negukhula, and that he had appeared in the Thohoyandou Magistrate's Court on 24 July. He was granted bail and released.
* In last week's edition of the Limpopo Mirror the suspect in the case was incorrectly identified as L Ramuhashi. The police have since indicated that the suspect was indeed Shumani Negukhula and not Ramuhashi as initially indicated by them.