“I was afraid at first . . . afraid of what people would say. I didn’t want to have to say that someone I knew personally beat me to a pulp.”
Those were the haunting words of a young woman who found herself at the centre of a social media storm when a video of her former boyfriend savagely beating her surfaced on social media earlier this week.
The video came to light just two weeks after a Nelson Mandela University law student, Fumani Jacob, 20, alleged that she had been assaulted by the same man - Mzukisi Luzipho - while at beachfront club Cubana.
Jacob has laid criminal charges and Luzipho is to appear in court again on June 11.
Luzipho dropped the call and did not respond to messages when contacted for comment.
The video, which appears to have first been posted to Twitter on Thursday afternoon – shows a man kicking a woman who is lying on the ground.
The second victim is a 25-year-old woman, who asked that she not be named.
The incident involving Jacob was also videotaped and it is clear that it is the same man assaulting Jacob and the unnamed woman.
Both women have asked that videos in which they can be identified not be published.
On Friday, the 25-year-old woman said that the surfacing of the video had forced her to leave Port Elizabeth and return to her hometown of East London.
She said she had not yet opened a case, adding: “I was afraid at first . . . afraid about what people would say. I was even afraid to go to the doctor because I didn’t want to have to say that someone I knew personally beat me to a pulp.
“Since the videos went viral, I have switched off my cellphone.”
The 25-year-old said she had not opened a case because when she told Luzipho – as he beat her – that she would go to the police, he had allegedly responded by saying he was not afraid.
Sharing details about what happened on the morning of the attack on March 16, the 25-year-old said she had been on holiday with Luzipho in Johannesburg when they got into a fight at a Sandton nightclub.
The pair were with other friends and following the argument they had all headed back to the house where they were staying.
“His friends were downstairs and I was with him together with [the woman who took the video] when he started beating me with his fists.
“I tried fighting back, but I’m not as strong as he is.”
She said after she returned to Nelson Mandela Bay she had consulted a doctor, who told her she had three cracked ribs.
She said after reading news reports about the alleged attack on Jacob at Cubana, she realised that Luzipho had serious anger issues.
When the 25-year-old’s friend was asked by a Weekend Post reporter why she had not intervened when the attack was taking place, she said: “I don’t have answers to your questions.”
After the video was tweeted, an administrator of the South African Police Service tweeted: “The SAPS views this assault in a very serious light and we would appreciate anyone who has any information that could help us identify and arrest the perpetrator to please come forward with such info. #CrimeStop 08600 10111. NP”
Assault victim’s fear of reliving ordeal
WARNING: This video contains graphic violence and is not suitable for sensitive viewers.
A graphic video of a Port Elizabeth man violently assaulting a woman has surfaced.
“I was afraid at first . . . afraid of what people would say. I didn’t want to have to say that someone I knew personally beat me to a pulp.”
Those were the haunting words of a young woman who found herself at the centre of a social media storm when a video of her former boyfriend savagely beating her surfaced on social media earlier this week.
The video came to light just two weeks after a Nelson Mandela University law student, Fumani Jacob, 20, alleged that she had been assaulted by the same man - Mzukisi Luzipho - while at beachfront club Cubana.
Jacob has laid criminal charges and Luzipho is to appear in court again on June 11.
Luzipho dropped the call and did not respond to messages when contacted for comment.
The video, which appears to have first been posted to Twitter on Thursday afternoon – shows a man kicking a woman who is lying on the ground.
The second victim is a 25-year-old woman, who asked that she not be named.
The incident involving Jacob was also videotaped and it is clear that it is the same man assaulting Jacob and the unnamed woman.
Both women have asked that videos in which they can be identified not be published.
On Friday, the 25-year-old woman said that the surfacing of the video had forced her to leave Port Elizabeth and return to her hometown of East London.
She said she had not yet opened a case, adding: “I was afraid at first . . . afraid about what people would say. I was even afraid to go to the doctor because I didn’t want to have to say that someone I knew personally beat me to a pulp.
“Since the videos went viral, I have switched off my cellphone.”
The 25-year-old said she had not opened a case because when she told Luzipho – as he beat her – that she would go to the police, he had allegedly responded by saying he was not afraid.
Sharing details about what happened on the morning of the attack on March 16, the 25-year-old said she had been on holiday with Luzipho in Johannesburg when they got into a fight at a Sandton nightclub.
The pair were with other friends and following the argument they had all headed back to the house where they were staying.
“His friends were downstairs and I was with him together with [the woman who took the video] when he started beating me with his fists.
“I tried fighting back, but I’m not as strong as he is.”
She said after she returned to Nelson Mandela Bay she had consulted a doctor, who told her she had three cracked ribs.
She said after reading news reports about the alleged attack on Jacob at Cubana, she realised that Luzipho had serious anger issues.
When the 25-year-old’s friend was asked by a Weekend Post reporter why she had not intervened when the attack was taking place, she said: “I don’t have answers to your questions.”
After the video was tweeted, an administrator of the South African Police Service tweeted: “The SAPS views this assault in a very serious light and we would appreciate anyone who has any information that could help us identify and arrest the perpetrator to please come forward with such info. #CrimeStop 08600 10111. NP”
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