Lion Mama: how I stabbed my daughter’s alleged rapists
This Eastern Cape mother, dubbed Lion Mama, bravely took on three men who were allegedly raping her daughter. She tells us what happened on the night she stabbed one of them to death
SHE’S become something of a national hero, and her story made headlines around the world. People from far and wide offered their help, wanting to do what they could to keep her from being locked behind bars.
Lion Mama, as she’s been dubbed, faced an uncertain future after stabbing the men who were allegedly raping her daughter. One of them died from his wounds, which meant she could’ve been charged with murder.
But today Lion Mama, who can’t be named in order to protect her child’s identity, breathes a sigh of relief when YOU speaks to her. A heavy burden has been lifted from her shoulders after the National Prosecuting Authority withdrew the murder charge and the two counts of attempted murder she was facing.
It was self-defence, they declared, which means she won’t spend a day in prison.
But the 56-year-old Eastern Cape widow still has to bear the burden and consequences of what happened that fateful night she burst into an unoccupied house in Zwartwater near Komani.
She’s struggling to come to terms with the fact the man she killed is a distant relative. “His mother and I are like sisters because we’re from the same clan,” she tells YOU.
“I’ve been hearing rumours his family is plotting revenge, but no one has said anything to me directly and we haven’t spoken since the incident.”
THE incident she refers to is, of course, her 27-year-old daughter allegedly being raped by the men Lion Mama stabbed. She remembers that night like it was yesterday. Lion Mama received a distressing call in the early hours of 2 September from her 82-year-old mother, who lives near her in Qumbu village and whom her daughter had been looking after.
Come quickly, the grandmother told her – your child is being gang-raped in a nearby village. Children from the area had braved the night to walk to her house to tell her of their suspicions.
Fearing the police would take too long to respond, the grandmother called Lion Mama to act fast.
“I questioned what my daughter was doing in the area at that time of the night, but my mother pressured me not to ask questions,” Lion Mama recalls.
“She reminded me of the children who braved the night to alert us about the incident. I asked my mother to tell those children to phone the police while I made my way to that house.”
She herself tried calling the community police forum, with no luck. Eventually she left her house and walked more than two kilometres to where her daughter was.
“I took my knife from the drawer for self-defence because I know this area is very dangerous, especially during those
hours of the night.”
On her way she passed a neighbour who was assigned by the area headman to attend to disputes in the area. “I told him about the phone call I received and told him I was going to the house.
“He came with me. Along the way he recruited other people, including some community police forum members, to go with us.”
As they approached the house Lion Mama says she could hear her daughter’s screams.
“We jumped through the broken fence. I told the group we shouldn’t all go inside – some must guard the windows to make sure the perpetrators are caught and they don’t escape.”
She then rushed into the house, carried by nothing more than her desire to save her child and the torch light on her cellphone. “I entered the room, turned the light to them and shouted, ‘What are you all doing?’ ” She was met with a shocking scene. “I could see the face of one of them on top of my daughter. His face was aligned to hers and the other one was standing behind wearing black underwear, which was below his knees. The third one was naked and was kneeling behind the second guy.”
Then all hell broke loose. One of the men rushed towards her, Lion Mama says, so she drew the knife and stabbed him, but he managed to escape.
The second man tried to grab her and she fell during their fight but he also fell after knocking against some chairs. He got up and stormed towards her, but by then she’d regained her balance and she stabbed him too.
“I also stabbed the third one while he was trying to force his way past me. After that I called my daughter. I realised she was dizzy and disorientated. She kept repeating everything I said,” the mom recalls.
“I took her hand and we walked out. I told the headman’s assistant to call the police and the ambulance because I have completed the job. By then I was numb.”
LION Mama was later arrested but is relieved the charges have been dropped. The mother of six found comfort in the countless messages she got from people from all walks of life. “The support I’ve received from people around the world has given me more strength. From the time of my arrest I was told a campaign was set up to raise funds for my bail and it was done in a very short space of time. I then heard there was a fundraiser, which attracted people from overseas.”
Her story also moved her lawyer, who offered to represent her for free. “I’m relieved the law has taken its course and I’ve been acquitted,” she says.
Lion Mama is receiving counselling to help her come to terms with what happened. “Although they can’t take away the ordeal, they’ve helped me come to terms with what has happened so I don’t think about taking my own life.”
One of the girls who reported the alleged rape reportedly tried to commit suicide. “She was told she’s the reason her brother died. I’ve been told she’s under the care of social workers at the moment.”
Lion Mama’s daughter is also on the road to recovery and is back at her grandmother’s house. She’s being treated by an East London specialist after her womb was damaged during the alleged rape. “The specialist said they’ll consider an operation if there’s no progress with the treatment she’s currently taking.”
She might not be able to bear children, but Lion Mama is happy her daughter is alive – and safe.
For now she plans to use the estimated R131 000 that was collected for her legal fees to beef up security. “If I get the money I’m hoping to [secure] the yard because anyone can just walk in.”
‘I also stabbed the third one while he was trying to force his way past me’