Hijacked, raped, stabbed and still standing strong

An inspiration to women worldwide; there simply is no other way to describe Alison Botha.

With the 16 Days of Activism campaign in full swing, CMF Newcastle Multifranchise teamed up with Khulisa to host a ladies night on November 29.

For those unaware of Alison’s story, it might have been strange to see ‘safety features and tips’ and ‘tyre change’ on the programme for the evening.

When Alison began to her bloodcurdling recollection of a crime that rocked South Africa almost 20 years ago, it all fell into perspective. Locking your car door and being aware of your surroundings could potentially save your life.

On December 18, 1994, Alison was confronted by a man with a knife outside her home in Port Elizabeth. He and a friend drove her to a deserted area her family always told her to steer clear of.

The men proceeded to rape her and afterwards, one of the men strangled her until she blacked out.

In court, the men revealed that they dragged an unconscious Alison from her vehicle. The older of the attackers proceeded to stab her more than 30 times in her abdomen, in the hope of ‘ruining her female organs’.

The other attacker then cut Alison’s throat 16 times and in the process, reopened her airway. She remembers seeing a figure slashing at her throat, but did not feel any pain until the next day after her surgery.

Convinced she was dead, the attackers removed her belongings from the car and left their victim for dead.

Alison found the strength to crawl to a nearby road, but only once she began to move, did she notice the abdominal wound. Her organs had come out of the wound, forcing her to use a shirt to hold them in place. A muscle in her neck was severely damaged during the attack, causing her head to fall backwards involuntarily.

Alison made her way to a road nearby and lay across the white markings, hoping someone would see her and call for help. Help did come and she was transported to hospital two hours later.

The man who came to Alison’s rescue was the doctor who delivered her second child, despite the odds against her being able to conceive at first.

Through her uniquely South African story, Alison has found a way to empower others and address the lack of trust within communities.

An ordeal that should have killed her made her that much stronger. She chose to be happy and in control of her own life. She knew that after what had happened, she would be capable of just about anything.

“We only grow in the difficult times. The bad things that happen to us might be the very miracle we need.”

As women, she emphasised, we need to pride ourselves on even the smallest accomplishments. Sometimes the ‘mountains’ we face are part of a greater plan for our lives.

Alison vowed to instil a strong sense of self-worth in her children, similar to the values her mother instilled in her as a child.

“I believe just by being human, you’re in control of A – Attitude, B – Belief and C – Choice. It’s the simple stuff that is powerful.”

Alison hoped women remembered their inherent potential was limitless and a person could ‘feel the fear, but do it anyway’.

The strength of a woman who doesn’t require validation is evident here. Alison didn’t need someone to tell her that she was special, because she knew she was.

After a heinous attack that should have killed her, Alison has come full swing and inspired the world with her story.

Her miraculous survival and ability to stand tall is what makes her a hero in the heart of every South African!