'Enough is enough'

A BAYVIEW mother of three is moeg of alleged gender-based violence and took to social media to say ‘enough is enough’.

Shauna Rhoda, 32, broke her silence on the alleged abuse suffered at the hands of her partner of 10 years.  

Rhoda says she only kept quiet because she was unemployed and was scared that if she did speak up, he would lose his job as a law enforcement officer.

Rhoda told the Daily Voice: “It started with smacking and when I voiced my opinion of him cheating or him doing drugs, there was this one time I found out he cheated while I was eight months pregnant with my last child and he kicked me full on on my back.

“There was another time where my son got in between us, but this was the first time he hit me that bad. That day I went to get clothes for the kids and I called him to tell him I was outside.

“He said: ‘Voetsek, I’m not opening’, [thinking]I was lying and I said it was cold and the kids were with me. He said he wasn’t going to open and that the laaities can stand in the cold.

“That’s when I jumped over the wall, I knocked on the front door and went around to the room window and knocked there. 

“He opened the front door and that’s when he started hitting me on the head and pulling my hair through the window.

“I used to stay in my bedroom with my three kids while he is having a party in the lounge with his friends, just so that they don’t see what is happening around us.

“He is a narcissist and I have known him for years so I knew he would retaliate in some sort of way, but I had enough. I felt like my voice had to be heard for other people who are silent.

“I felt like I have been enabling this man for years to do what he did to me, because I never spoke up and I never said anything. I just took it and always protected him, because he financially supported us, because I am unemployed.

“I am still afraid, because I don’t know where this leaves my kids but I knew I had to speak up.”

She added that she had opened a case against him, however it was withdrawn due to insufficient evidence. The accused then opened a counter case against her and locked her up in a closet.

Rhoda said when she saw the reaction to her post she was in awe as she thought she would get more bad reviews, because she had jumped over his wall to get clothes for her children after he told her off.

EFF Provincial Treasurer and Member of Parliament at the Western Cape Legislature Aishah Cassiem told the Daily Voice that through their GBV desk they have reached out to the victim to ensure justice is served.

Cassiem said: “Such cases should never be taken lightly, especially when the accused is a law enforcement officer entrusted to protect the public. 

“These are the people who we entrust to protect us and if they can’t even protect their own loved ones, and more specifically women and children, then what about the public?

“The EFF has made contact with the local authorities to see why the matter has been thrown out just days after being reported, despite clear evidence of abuse.”

Cassiem added that they are also investigating the matter and encouraged the public to support Rhoda when her case is heard in court.

City of Cape Town law enforcement spokesperson Wayne Dyason, meanwhile, says that the City has been made aware of the allegation against the officer earlier last month and that an internal investigation was initiated immediately.

Dyason said: “It is viewed in a serious light and this matter is being dealt with in terms of City policies and processes, including a disciplinary process.”