A Ballito businesswoman, who was allegedly hit with a chair, punched twice in the face and then threatened with a firearm by two law enforcement officers – who are brothers - wants swift justice.
Viloshini Chengadu, 48, the owner of a recycling business, said despite calls by the government for harsher punishment to be imposed on perpetrators of gender-based-violence, her alleged attackers had still not been arrested.
She said she was being failed by the law.
“So where is the justice? This is why so many victims don’t report crimes because their cries for help fall on deaf ears.”
Chengadu said the driver of one of her trucks had been enroute to do a delivery in Phoenix when he was involved in an accident with an off-duty police officer’s private vehicle on Spine Road on March 5 at about 8am.
“According to our driver, the man jumped out of his vehicle, a Nissan X-Trail, and the first thing he said was that he was a police officer before he pulled the key from the truck’s ignition.
“The next thing, he called for ‘back-up’, which we later learnt was his brother, a metro police officer, who was also off-duty. When the brother arrived, he radioed in and checked if my driver had any outstanding fines and warrants. It was all clear. However, he pulled the licence disc from the truc, as it was expired.
“The policeman then told my driver that he must call the owner of the truck and tell him to come to the scene. That is when our driver called my husband, Trevor, and explained what had happened and that the man wanted him to come to Phoenix.
“However, when my husband spoke to the man, he asked him what was the need for him to come to the scene and that as an officer of the law, he should know the procedure and that was to file an accident report at the police station.
“Furthermore, there were no casualties. However, he kept insisting that he wanted to see my husband. So, my husband informed him that we could meet at our business premises in Mount Edgecombe later in the day,” she said.
Chengadu said the policeman and his brother arrived at their business premises about 20 minutes later.
“We were not there. However our daughter, who works there, informed them that we would only come in later but could not give them a specific time. So they apparently waited a bit and then left. She had asked for his contact details, but he didn’t give her any information. He had done the same with the driver,” she said.
Chengadu said the policeman called her husband around 11am requesting that they meet.
“I am not sure how he got my husband’s details, but he told the man that we were at the office and that he could come through. He arrived with his brother at midday. My husband asked for the accident report number to which he responded that he did not have it.
“When my husband asked him why not as half the day had passed, he said he wanted to speak to him first. He told my husband that he had two quotations and wanted to discuss payment first,” she said.
Chengadu said that was when she intervened and questioned the man.
“I asked him how would we know if he was the right person we were speaking to as he did not provide any identification to us or even our driver. I asked him for his driver’s licence to which he responded that he did not have it. I also asked how, as an officer of the law, was he driving without a licence, which he just brushed off.
“However, not wanting to argue, my husband asked him again what he wanted to speak about and that was when the brother jumped in and said the truck’s brakes were bad. So my husband asked him if he had driven the truck and tested the brakes, to which he said ‘no’. He claimed the driver had said the brakes were not working and that they had recorded him,” she said.
Chengadu said her husband told both men that it was pointless talking to him and that they should file an accident report first.
“At that point, everyone was still calm and the two men stood up. However, as they turned towards the door, the policeman’s brother said ‘I will show you something’, and the next thing I saw was the policeman pick up the chair he had been sitting on and throw it at me. I felt a sudden wave of dizziness and as I stood up, he came towards me and punched me in the face then again in my eye. I could feel ‘wetness’ on my face. It was my blood.
“My husband stood up, slipped and fell. My husband is not well. He had a quadruple heart bypass in 2022 and was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, last year. But then, one of my employees came rushing into the room and that is when the policeman’s brother pulled out his firearm and pointed it at us. We all froze. After a few minutes, they left the room and that is when my husband called our security to not let them leave the premises. He then called police and medics.
“The men were escorted out of the premises by the police who arrived and I was taken to hospital. I had to have stitches on my forehead and nose. My eye is still swollen. I am not sure if there is any permanent damage or if my eyesight will be affected. I also have bruises to my left arm as I tried to shield myself when he flung the chair,” Chengadu said.
She said despite a case being opened for investigation, nothing had happened.
“I have been in and out of the police station since last week, but no one can tell me why nothing is being done. How does a police officer who is supposed to be protecting women and children against gender-based-violence not face any consequence for his actions and still be allowed to work?
“To make matters worse, I was even told that an arrest could only be effected if the injury was life threatening. The fact that a police officer picked up a weapon (chair) to hit me shows his intention was to cause grievous bodily harm. I have injuries to my head and eyes. What if I died due to the impact - is that not life threatening?
“If it were anyone else that committed such an offence, especially against a woman or child, would they have not been arrested by now? This is sheer police cover up. It is not fair, but I will not give up in my fight for justice against those who abuse their power,” she said.
Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala, a provincial police spokesperson, said Phoenix police were investigating charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and pointing with a firearm.
“The matter is still under investigation.”
Colonel Victor Zungu, a metro police spokesperson, said: “This is the first time we are hearing of these allegations and all this information is new. We are now conducting an investigation.”