A lady was just going about her day as she strolled through the township. Everything around her went boom the following second as a man aggressively shoved her in broad daylight.…....
Allegedly, the man appeared to be preparing for a full-on thrashing as he shoved the victim multiple times in public. As the attack continued unabated in broad daylight, residents watched in horror. Suddenly, three men materialised and stood between the assailant and the victim.
According to the man, the three bystanders immediately threatened to deal with him personally if he touched the woman again. Eyewitnesses said the altercation escalated quickly, with the assailant taking on three males who would not budge. No word on whether or not police were dispatched or whether an investigation has been initiated at this time.
A tragic and ongoing problem is the prevalence of gender-based violence in the townships of South Africa. Bystander action of this kind is still unusual enough to stop a mob cold, but it has prompted community actions in the past in response to public beatings of women, particularly in residential neighbourhoods.
Some bystanders who saw the fight lauded the three guys on the spot, while others noted that the woman appeared scared right before rescuers came. Allegedly, other members of the audience joined in the onslaught, ratcheting up the pressure on the assailant. Upon arrival at the site, the woman was visibly scared, but no major injuries were recorded.
The nature of the man and woman’s relationship is still unknown. Nobody knows what happened to the assailant after the public confrontation. No statement has been made by the authorities as of yet, and it is not known whether an investigation is being conducted or if anyone at the scene was able to identify the individual.
How confident are you that your township neighbours would intervene when you report an incident of public gender-based violence, or do you think the majority of people will turn a blind eye? Leave your region in the space provided.
