WATCH: Motorist drives into woman, highlighting ugly GBV reality

While the country fiercely battles an alarming number of gender-based violence cases, footage of a motorist ploughing into a woman with his car, allegedly on purpose, has painted a horrific image of the violence that lingers in society.

Police confirmed they were looking into the footage, which shows law enforcement officers with a Tsakane police vehicle breaking up an argument between motorists. The footage culminates in one motorist driving into a woman.

Police say the incident happened on Sunday, August 16, around 11am. Officers intervened in a road rage incident at the corner of Madiba and Sphelele Streets in Tsakane.

While on patrol, the officers identified an altercation between the occupants of a white VW Tiguan and a grey BMW.

Further investigation identified that the people who were arguing were four passengers and the driver of the white Tiguan against the driver of the BMW and both vehicles had blocked the intersection.

They all alleged they had right of way at the intersection, police spokesperson Mavela Masondo told The Citizen, which led to the passengers getting out of the vehicles, only to start the argument.

Police intervened and attempted to calm the situation down, while also controlling traffic. After they got some of the passengers into their vehicle, the driver of the BMW got into his vehicle and hit the lady who was the passenger of the VW Tiguan – who was in front of the BMW.

Shortly after hitting the lady with his vehicle, the motorist drove away from the scene.

A case of hit and run has been opened at the Tsakane Police Station.

Masondo says the suspect has been identified and police are looking for him.

Tsakane police station commander Colonel Johannes Maas said he was disappointed at the behaviour and appealed to all motorists to be patient with each other to avoid violence.

In the footage, someone can be heard accusing the assumed male figure in the BMW vehicle of attacking women.  While the matter remains subject to a police investigation, it is a picture of the ugly violence in society.

ALSO READ: Asithandile ‘Kwasa’ Zozo’s alleged killer to remain behind bars as case postponed

Social media has been fiercely highlighting the dire reality of gender-based violence, with the latest case gaining notoriety being that of the murder of Asithandile “Kwasa” Zozo. The suspect, who was in police custody, was admitted to the Butterworth Hospital in Eastern Cape after he allegedly overdosed on tablets.

While police suspect an attempted suicide, #JusticeforKwasa trended on Twitter following the young Zozo’s untimely death. Once the assailant is discharged, police said he would face murder charges in the Idutywa Magistrate’s Court.

Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga condemned the tragedy, saying it could not be that the battle against gender-based violence had fallen on deaf ears. He said Zozo’s death would not dampen the spirit of the police in their fight against gender-based violence.

“It is just unbelievable that in our desperate attempts to end the scourge of gender-based violence in our society, our message seems to be falling on deaf ears. This is indeed a piece of very devastating news and more examples must be made out of those we have already arrested, in order to send a clear message to other would-be perpetrators of women abuse,” said Ntshinga.

In his address to the nation on June 17, 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted how gender-based violence was South Africa’s second pandemic, citing, in particular, the incidents that had taken place in the two weeks prior to his address, while the country was in lockdown.

His statement once again brought to light the harrowing reality faced by women in and out of the country.

Gender-based violence, in particular domestic violence, was an overwhelming problem that existed in the country and was not exclusive to the lockdown. The president noted how GBB was clearly the country’s second pandemic.

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