Alison’s story can comfort

THE murder of school teacher Jayde Panayiotou is tragic. The brutality of her death rips at the soul of all our humanity. For the school pupils and teachers whose lives she touched, the pain will never subside.

It is even so much sadder that her tragic death happened on the morning as she was on her way to school.

For both pupils and teachers at her school, the remainder of the academic year will never be the same.

It is virtually impossible for them not to be affected by the vast amount of media, community and online speculation about her murder.

That morning, Jayde could have been inspiring a potential scientist or the next greatest politician that could have emerged from the Eastern Cape, but her murderers have robbed each one of those pupils – and all of us – of a community-builder.

Regardless of who is ultimately convicted of her death, it will always be a painful reflection that men in our society have not been moved by the tragic deaths of Annie Dewani and Reeva Steenkamp.

It is also a reflection that men have also not learnt anything from the conviction of the monsters 20 years ago, who were responsible for the horrendous attack on rape survivor and motivational speaker, Alison Botha.

Twenty years after the horrendous attack, Alison’s incredible story about never giving up on her will to live will come alive at the National Arts Festival this year in the play, I Have Life – Alison’s Journey. Alison was raped, stabbed multiple times and had her throat cut. Arts critic Leon van Nierop describes I Have Life – Alison’s Journey as “an amazing experience, not only on a human level, but also as a piece of captivating theatre”. Adapted from the book written by Marianne Thamm, Safta lifetime achievement award-winning theatre director Maralin Vanrenen’s brilliant adaptation is a remarkable tribute to one woman’s journey about her recovery from the brutal assault to how she became an inspiration around the globe.

Vanrenen’s outstanding skill as a director draws the audience into witnessing the harrowing night of torment.

She delves into Alison’s most private moments to be penetrated by Alison’s inner voice. It is with deep sensitivity that Vanrenen takes her audience on an emotional roller-coaster ride from watching how moments of incredible cruelty are overcome by Alison’s passion for life and her determination to emerge as a victor. In December 1994, when the story hit the newspaper headlines about a young woman, who crawled from a remote picnic spot on a beach near Port Elizabeth after being abducted, raped and virtually disembowelled 35 times and had her throat slit, South Africa was reeling from shock and terror.

Twenty years later, Vanrenen’s adaptation of this moving and inspiring biography, is a powerful reminder about the horrors of gender violence in South Africa, but also a beacon of hope that there are good men such as Tiaan Eilerd who found Alison on that dark road many years ago and helped her to stay alive.

South African-born actress Suanne Braun plays the role of Alison. She is supported by a fine cast, who play multiple roles of the people whose lives were touched or altered by Alison’s determination not to give up on life.

At this tragic moment when the Eastern Cape is reeling from shock about the death of another one of its women at the hands of ruthless and reckless men, Alison’s story is one of hope and comfort. While her story of survival is being recreated on the stage, there is also an online petition circulating which calls for her attackers to be denied parole.

There is substantial evidence in South Africa to prove that men who commit crimes of gender violence often do so even repeatedly after being released from prison.

As we all reel with shock and anger at the meaningless death of Jayde Panayiotou, it is perhaps the right time to sign the petition that calls for Alison’s attackers to be denied parole.

It is also the right time to put the pressure on our justice system to ensure that those who robbed our nation of an inspiring and caring young school teacher, who was on her way to school to inspire the lives of our young people, like Alison’s attackers, are better-placed behind the bars of a prison.

‘ It is with deep sensitivity that Vanrenen takes her audience on an emotional rollercoaster ride