A frightened Mdantsane family, fearing for their lives, was forced to flee their home on Saturday as the #JusticeForKamva protesters demanded that they vacate the house or face harm.
Angry Mdantsane residents marched in NU3 after 21-year-old Kamva Dala was allegedly stripped naked and a video of her running for dear life circulated on social media last week.
The degrading incident was allegedly perpetrated by three female neighbours who accused her of sleeping with one of the women’s boyfriend.
The stripping was supposed to be a humiliating punishment for Dala.
Two of the women are cousins and the one accused of taking the video is their friend.
On Saturday angry residents marched to the home of the two accused demanding that the family hand them over to the police.
The family was accused of helping the two women who went into hiding after the incident allegedly took place last Monday.
“We have heard that you know where they are hiding and you send them clothes to change into every day.
“All this chaos will stop the day you bring the perpetrators forward so that they can be handed over to the police for what they have done to my grandchild.
“How could they strip my child naked while she was going to college, strip her naked in front of everyone making her a laughing stock like that,” said Dala’s teary grandmother Nomonde Dala.
When the accused’s family said they did not know where the women were, angry marchers ordered the family to leave the house.
After threats of burning or destroying the house, the family obliged and vacated the house, fearing for their lives.
Family member Nomawethu Madotyeni on Sunday said: “We slept in a shack last night under stressful conditions.“We have never experienced anything like this, we have been sleepless since this incident.
“We are scared for our lives as the residents are angry, accusing us of hiding them.
“In all honesty we don’t know where they are.”
Madotyeni added: “We could not even take clothes out of the house when we were forced out. They used their own locks and kicked us out.
“I slept in the shack with children aged eight, four and two, while my sister had to ask for a place to sleep in Unit P.”
“We don’t even know when we will be allowed to go back home. We don’t even have a school uniform for the eight-year-old.”
Nosipho Madotyeni, who is the mother of the woman crying foul over her boyfriend’s alleged cheating, admitted she was home when Dala was attacked.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch on Saturday Dala said she had been traumatised by the incident.
“I did not even sleep with this man and I tried many times to explain that to these three women but they were convinced otherwise.
“I was humiliated and embarrassed.”
Her aunt and march leader Dolly Mtyongwe said residents chased the family away because they’d had enough.
“They said this was the last straw for them and felt the parents were involved as they did not stop their children when they stripped Kamva in that house.
“What has happened to her must never happen to any other girl child in this country. Even though some people could not be part of the march, they were with us in spirit.
“One woman from Butterworth who does not even know Kamva sent R300 for her to spoil herself and be cheered up a little,” said Mtyongwe.
Police spokesperson Captain Mluleki Mbi said a crimen injuria case could be opened.
“Seemingly the suspect and others involved in taking the video fled Mdantsane,” he said.
Executive director for Masimanyane Women’s Rights International Lesley-Ann Foster said: “We are involved with the case and are working closely with the police’s cybercrime unit to make sure the video is erased from the internet.
“We have arranged counselling for the young woman and we want to see to it that the people responsible for this are held accountable.
“This kind of thing takes away dignity.
“What makes me more sad is that the shame and blame is put on the woman alone – there is no talk about the man who is at the centre of all this, whether the story behind this is true or not.”
Another march has been organised to the Mdantsane police station for Monday...