Despite widespread condemnations for gender-based violence, the ‘epidemic’ continues to rear its ugly head as the country celebrates Women’s Month.
This comes after two sisters, aged 18 and 28, suffered third degree burns when their neighbour allegedly threw a petrol bomb at them. A 39-year-old man from Unit 20 in Phoenix appeared at the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 10 August, on two counts of attempted murder and damage to property. The incident occurred at the height of the unrest on 13 July at approximately 10am. Captain Louise Naidoo, spokesperson for Phoenix SAPS, confirmed a case of attempted murder. *Sunny Pillay, 53, and his wife *Shoba, 48, claim that they were walking down the stairs of their flat with their two daughters when a petrol bomb was allegedly thrown at them by Soobramoney (Justin) Moodley. They allege that their two daughters suffered third degree burns to their legs and the front area of their house caught fire. They claim that they had to use a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire.
*Sunny claimed that he was protecting his community during the unrest and his family was seeing him off as he went to stand guard at the barricades. He alleges that his neighbour, Moodley, opened the door and swore at his family through the gate. The family claim that they swore him back. “He then opened his gate a little bit and threw a petrol bomb at us from inside his house. He closed the door and burglar gate and never came out of the house that day,” alleged Sunny. “The neighbours called the Phoenix SAPS but the response received was that police were busy dealing with the unrest. There were no doctors’ surgeries or pharmacies opened during the time of the unrest. My daughters had to get home-made treatment because they were in so much pain. A family member had been through a burn recently and advised us over the phone. She came through the roadblocks and dropped off the medication,” said Shoba.
The Pillays allege that the following day when Moodley saw Sunny outside, he said that he was going to buy petrol to burn their house and blame the protestors. “He pulled out a golf club and hit Sunny who is a heart patient and has undergone a triple bypass. Whereupon Sunny hit him back in self-defence,” alleged Shoba. Moodley then charged Sunny and Shoba for Assault and Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH). Then the wife, Farzana Sheik, also charged the Pillays with common assault and malicious injury to property. This case has been remanded to 22 September. Captain Naidoo also confirmed the case of assault GBH and a further case of common assault by the complainant. The Pillays claim that Moodley and his wife have been tormenting their neighbours for the past six years that they have lived in the area and that the residents have petitioned against them living in the community. The petition has been handed in to court.
*Names of the victims have been changed for fear of victimisation.
