Society’s patience with gender-based violence has been wearing increasingly thin, embodied by recent protests and directives from the highest office in the land.
A group of brave young men showed that actions speak louder than words by standing united to protect a female member of their street on Sunday 21 June.
Together with other residents of Third Avenue, Khtlwano Segaetsho and Derrick Geotingwe assisted in ensuring that another South African woman would not become yet another statistic.
At roughly 8.30pm the young men were returning from an evening errand when they were approached by family members of the victim. They requested help as a man was beating a female member of their family.
“We were coming back from a walk to the tuck shop when we were told what was happening,” said Khtlwano, retelling the initial moments of an eventful evening. “We then tried to walk [her] to the police station but he caught up with us,” recounted Khltwano.
The alleged perpetrator confronted the young men as he was looking for his alleged girlfriend, only for them to keep the woman hidden to avoid any more conflict. The encounter with the man caused the other men to return to Third Avenue where they phoned the police.
As the man continued to harass his alleged spouse, several calls were made for the police to intervene, and in the time it took for them to arrive, tensions boiled over.
The confrontation reached a climax on the corner of Third and Paul Kruger Avenues, where the reportedly intoxicated man smashed a bottle he got from the street and allegedly stabbed the victim in the chest.
The community members then chased the man down Paul Kruger Avenue, but he escaped and has yet to return. The victim has since sought medical assistance and reported the incident at the Roodepoort Police Station.
Police have yet to comment, but residents of the area hope authorities dedicate more resources to keeping their neighbourhood safe.
The alleged perpetrator suspect had issued Derrick, who along with Khltwano is a West Ridge High School alumnus, with the threat of retaliation but the young men stood firm, stating “you touch her, you touch all of us”.
