A woman has been left traumatised and injured after she was kidnapped and raped by two men in a taxi.
The 33-year-old mother says she hailed a “cockroach taxi” in Crossroads while on her way to Khayelitsha on Tuesday night.
It was only when she got into the Toyota Avanza that she saw there was another man in the car. The two men drove with her to Marikana where she was raped, stabbed and assaulted.
“The rank which has the Khayelitsha taxis is not far from my home and it was supposed to be a short drive,” the victim says.
“But it ended up being a ride from hell as the driver didn’t stop by the rank, instead he drove with me to Marikana informal settlement.
The emotional woman recalls “fearing for the worst” when they entered the dark area.
“They raped me for three hours, they took turns, they kept me from about 9pm up until midnight. They stabbed me and hit me with a golf club.
“I managed to escape from them while they were sleeping and went to a hokkie where I knocked to try and get assistance.”
The 33-year-old woman tells the Daily Voice the person in the shack told her that she was too scared to open for her.
“I understand because she was a female alone in her place and she didn’t trust that I was really in need of help.
“She told me to sleep outside and that she would at least stay up and look out for me.
“I received help when her brothers showed up around 5am, they took me to the police where I opened a case.”
The traumatised woman, who was left with stab wounds to her arms and legs, says she went back to the rape scene where she pointed out the suspect.
“He was taken to the Philippi East SAPS where he lied to them and said I told him that I would transfer my taxi fare which is only R10 and he went to Marikana to get his bank card,” she explains.
“The man apologised to me and said that he will give me anything to make this go away.
“Instead of charging the man, the police set him free, he still hasn’t been arrested.”
The Crossroads woman says this incident has opened old wounds for her.
“I’ve been raped before, it happened in 2011 and now I have to live with this traumatic experience again.”
Police Spokesperson Andre Traut says: “Our records reveal that a rape case is indeed under investigation.
“The incident occurred on Friday, 7 January at around 8.30pm in Philippi East.
“According to the victim she took a lift in a silver Toyota Avanza and was later raped by the two occupants of the vehicle.”