Woman assaulted over missing stokvel money

AN uMhlabuyalingana woman is seeking legal assistance after her assault case was withdrawn.

Mbali Tembe (36) believes police failed to do their job properly, which forced the court to decline to prosecute.

Tembe said she opened a case of assault with grievous bodily harm (GBH) against members of Isikebhe on Saturday, 8 January.

She said she was assaulted for using stokvel money without obtaining permission from fellow members.

‘In December, we were supposed to share our stokvel savings, but there were insufficient funds available as I had already used R17 000. A balance of R6 000 was left,' she said.

'I explained to the other members that I would repay the money, and asked them to give me some time they agreed.'

She explained she used the money to pay for medical bills for her sick child.

‘I was surprised when a group of people armed with sticks came to my house.

‘They told my husband they wanted to have a word with me outside. My husband agreed, and we both went out with them. On our way, we met with some stokvel members.

‘I was not worried because I knew I had explained everything to these women about their money.

‘But they took me to a secluded area where the Isikebhe chairperson asked me about the money.

‘They did not allow me to respond to their questions; they began assaulting me in front of my husband.

‘They whipped me mercilessly.

I was humiliated and treated as a criminal.

'There was a huge crowd of people watching me screaming for help in agony,’ she said.

Tembe said, after the beatings, Isikebhe members left her on the ground and she was assisted by her husband to go back home.

‘He took me home and I reported the matter to the police the same day.

‘The police advised me to go to the clinic, and provided me with a form to be filled out by the doctor, which he did after examining me.

'I returned to the police station the following day and the case was registered. Now I have been told that no one has been arrested because I failed to provide the police with the names of the Isikebhe members who assaulted me. I need help, I want justice to prevail,’ she said.

KZN police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said two suspects, aged between 26 and 49, were arrested for assault GBH.

'They appeared at Ubombo Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, 26 January, and the case was withdrawn,’ she said.