The streets of eMalahleni are becoming more and more dangerous for both motorists and pedestrians, but mostly for women and girls, as they are often viewed as soft targets for sexual assault.

This comes after two rape cases were reported within 24 hours, occurring in different parts of eMalahleni and under different and disturbing circumstances.

According to the police, in the wee hours of May 31, the officer on duty received a call from a local hospital reporting a case of a sexual assault victim who had been admitted.

Upon arrival, the police found a man who alleged that the lady had been drinking and was raped by an Indian man. The lady was allegedly still intoxicated and couldn’t tell her story at the time.

In the late night of the same day, another lady told the police that she had just left a local lodge with her friend and were walking towards the main road when they suddenly heard a sound of a firearm being cocked.

When they attempted to run, the lady said they were threatened and instructed to enter the bushes, where they were forced to undress. She alleged that she was the only one raped, as the other man claimed that he was not interested.

Although it may seem that not enough will ever be done to ensure that women in both our city and the country at large are safe from these men, the spokesperson for Witbank Police Station, Captain Eddie Hall, continues to urge women to always exercise extra caution when it comes to their safety.

“Ladies are warned not to drink too much liquor, as they are seen as soft targets when intoxicated. Also, avoid walking in the streets at night,” he said.

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