Ex-husband allegedly runs over wife twice in daylight attack in Happy Valley
Sharon Khona, from Happy Valley, Blue Downs, was killed, allegedly by her ex-husband, after he drove over her with his bakkie.
Image: Supplied
A 40-year-old woman was killed in a daylight attack in Happy Valley, Blue Downs, allegedly run over twice by her ex-husband.
The incident, which occurred on Chris Nissan Street, has raised serious concerns regarding police responses to domestic violence and the effectiveness of bail conditions for offenders.
The attack took place in Chris Nissan Street, where, according to police, the woman was struck by a gold bakkie before the driver reversed and drove over her again.
A member of a neighbourhood watch and an acquaintance of the suspect, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the man had been "in and out of jail for the past few years" and appeared unable to accept that the relationship had ended.
"Last year, he told me that they are now finally divorced, but I don't think he was taking it well when his ex wife had moved on with someone else," the acquaintance said.
According to the acquaintance, the events of Saturday morning began when the suspect spotted his ex-wife with her new partner.
"Saturday morning, at around 9am, he saw his ex-wife with the boyfriend when she was on her way home and she didn't know he saw them together.
"He waited for her to go home just a few metres away from her house and then he bumped her with the bakkie," he said.
He continued: "Then he drove over her again. After that, he left and handed himself over to the police."
The body of Sharon Khona after her ex-husband drove over her with a bakkie.
Image: Supplied
Community members claim the suspect was out on bail at the time of the incident, and say the victim had previously tried to seek protection from authorities.
"He has been threatening her for a while. A few weeks ago, she opened a case against him because he pointed at her with a gun.
"He went out on bail and we don’t know why," said one community member, who asked not to be named due to fear of victimisation.
"He is very feared in the community," they added.
The acquaintance also alleged the suspect was not supposed to be in the area at the time.
"I don't understand how he got bail and who had bailed him out.
"He wasn't even supposed to be here in Happy Valley, so I feel the law failed Sharon and her children."
Secretary of SANCO in the Happy Valley community, Benita Engelbrecht, condemned the killing, describing it as part of a broader pattern of violence against women in the area.
"Violence and domestic violence against women in our community is common, and most times, the police are very slow and it happened days after he was released on bail. I feel if a woman opens a case of domestic violence, the police must take it seriously and the court should not give bail so easily," she said.
Police spokesperson, Ndakhe Gwala, said Mfuleni police registered a murder case.
"According to reports, a 40-year-old woman was run over by a gold bakkie, the suspect reversed and drove over her lifeless body again," Gwala said.
The suspect was arrested for murder and appeared at the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court on Monday.