Woman Allegedly Beaten, Locked Inside Home for Days as Police Docket Later Went Missing

A Khayelitsha woman endured severe injuries after she was allegedly assaulted and locked inside a shack by her boyfriend in July 2022, in a case that later raised concerns about the handling of her police docket.

Yamkela Sikhafungana, who was 26 at the time and a mother, had reportedly gone to visit a friend when her boyfriend allegedly became angry. According to the account, he locked her inside their home and severely assaulted her.

She suffered serious injuries, including facial fractures, a broken nose, severe swelling around both eyes that left her unable to see properly, damaged blood vessels that required eye surgery and a wound to her head. She was hospitalised for more than a week.

Her belongings were also allegedly destroyed, with her clothes and personal items reportedly burned. After the assault, she was allegedly pushed outside wearing only her underwear.

The situation became even more concerning when her boyfriend reportedly told her family that she was missing. Her sister later received a call from him asking whether the family had seen her.

Relatives began searching for Yamkela and reportedly became suspicious after noticing that her WhatsApp account remained active. They suspected someone else could have been responding to messages.

A cousin eventually went to the shack. When the boyfriend allegedly refused to open the door, neighbours helped force entry, where Yamkela was reportedly found injured and was rushed to hospital.

She later reported the matter at Harare SAPS. Her boyfriend, identified as Silulami Madikizela, was arrested and charged with assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

He was granted bail towards the end of July 2022, reportedly with a condition that he stay away from Yamkela and not contact her. Her family later alleged that he breached the condition by calling her and remaining in the area.

The case subsequently faced another setback when a magistrate instructed the investigating officer to either locate the missing docket or reconstruct it.

Yamkela’s case highlights the serious consequences that can follow when domestic-violence matters are not properly handled and underscores the importance of protecting victims after they report abuse. 💔

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