Cape Town - A victim of gender-based violence must face her alleged attacker in court this week after she was left paralysed from the waist down.
Lihlasedi Murori, 24, from H section in Khayelitsha, shared her story as part of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
She said she was brutally assaulted by a man after she refused to have sex with him. The man approached her at a local tavern, offering her alcohol back at his house. She went with him, hoping to enjoy the drinks.
Arriving, Lihlasedi was with the man plus another girl who seemed to be in a sort of relationship with him. While still drinking there was an argument between the girl and the man, but after a while the girl left, leaving Lihlasedi with the man.
During the course of the night, Lihlasedi was now left with her offender drinking and having fun until he demanded to sleep with her. Refusing to engage in sexual relations, there was a commotion between the two leading to the attack.
The offender allegedly took what seemed to be a paving brick as a weapon and began attacking her with it on the left side of her face.
Left lying in a pool of blood, Lehlasedi’s life was saved by the intervention of man who arrived on the scene looking for the offender, who is known by many in their community because of his smoking tendencies.
The new arrival, who cannot be named, recognised her and began asking questions to confirm her identity, since she was badly bruised.
The attack was brutal enough to cause permanent injuries that led to Lehlasedi being hospitalised at Tygerberg Hospital for two months, causing her to have faulty speech and unable to walk by herself. She now uses a wheelchair.
“I don’t remember much but I was told that some guy arrived while I was lying there. He recognised me because he knows my mother. He then left to call her and I was taken to hospital,” said Lihlasedi.
It's been four months since the attack on Lihlasedi and the offender will appear in Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court for the first time on December 6.
“Going to the court, I just want him to look at me and see how he has wronged me,” said Lehlasedi.
During the time of the attack, Lehlasedi was visiting her mother. After being discharged, she then came to stay with her permanently and is now witnessing her mother being a victim of GBV.