Nikita Kleynhans (32) of Sea Park, Port Shepstone never thought a Saturday afternoon trip to buy a pizza and a pie would end up leaving her hospitalised. A 20-year-old man has since been arrested for assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Kleynhans and her partner, Yvette Krugel (38), together with a friend, had gone to buy food at a local shopping centre in Umtentweni.

While inside the shop, she recalled male patrons passing what she felt were inappropriate comments to her.

“I didn’t know these men from a bar of soap and I was certainly not looking for a fight with anyone. I just want to live my life in peace with my family and friends.”

Kleynhans left the shop and was walking towards her car in the parking lot when the same men stopped nearby in a white double cab bakkie with a Pietermaritzburg registration number.

She says that, from what she can remember, the men called her over to their vehicle, and this was followed shortly afterwards by an altercation.

She sustained injuries to her face and head which rendered her unconscious and bleeding profusely.

“I spent two nights in hospital and a further week at home recovering from the head injury, which consisted of a fractured nose, two blue eyes, a shattered tooth and injury to my neck,” she says.

Kleynhans also lost days at work, and now has to have her tooth replaced.

Her partner Krugel says it was unbelievable that nobody came to help her while she was being beaten.

“Our biggest concern was that Nikita had a brain haemorrhage or brain bleed, as she was in a motorcycle accident in April last year where she sustained head trauma,” says Krugel. “Fortunately, scans came back clear.”

A shopper saw the incident, and quickly snapped a photograph of the vehicle’s registration number, as they drove off.

Lazer 911 Security Tactical units responded to a message posted on a crime group of a woman being assaulted.

On arrival at the scene, officers found the woman, badly beaten.

Basil Lanka of Lazer 911 said a description of the vehicle and its occupants was obtained and circulated to all response units.

“While on routine patrols, information was received that the vehicle was spotted entering a complex in Southport. The officers responded and arrested a suspect, who was handed over to the police.”

Police spokesman Captain Petros Mpinge confirmed the incident.

“A case of assault grievous bodily harm has been opened for investigation at Port Shepstone SAPS after a woman was allegedly assaulted in Umtentweni on Saturday, September 10. A man, aged 20 has been charged and appeared in the Port Shepstone Magistrate’s Court on Monday, September 12. The case has been postponed to a later date for further investigation,” he says.

Kleynhans thanked the police, shop owners and the community for their support and help.

“This incident has left me traumatised. It’s concerning that young men who are supposed to be leaders in our community are such a disappointment. This is certainly not the kind of influence we want in our society after Women’s Month in August and our continual battle against the scourge of gender-based violence,” she says.