Singer fears for her life after brutal beating

This shocking picture is of a South African singer and celebrity who was brutally assaulted by the man she loves.

The 33-year-old woman fears for her life. She believes that her businessman boyfriend will come back to finish her off.

She has not reported what happened to the police because she believes her boyfriend has threatened to kill her if she does.

She also claims her boyfriend has threatened to kill her if she goes to a doctor because she would have to reveal what happened.

City Press has decided to publish one of a number of her graphic pictures that the newspaper obtained in view of the start of government’s 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign in two weeks’ time – in order to illustrate that anyone can become a victim of domestic violence.

We are withholding the singer’s name for her protection.

“I’m scared of this guy. He is going to kill me,” she told City Press.

This week, the celebrity showed City Press the photos of her injuries. She undressed, and showed the scars and open wounds that have not yet healed.

“I can’t go to the doctor because I am scared of him. He told me that if I went, he would kill me,” she told City Press.

“If anything happens to me, at least somebody has these pictures. That’s why I came to you,” she said.

The woman met the man late last year through a mutual friend. He is a regular on the celebrity circuit, and has dated a number of actresses and other well-known women.

But two months ago, he accused her of cheating on him with another man. She had had a fling with someone else at the start of their relationship.

“We were sitting at his home when, all of a sudden, he accused me of cheating on him,” she said.

He started by punching her in the face and she quickly confessed to her fling. But this enraged him even further.

“He got very angry and punched me in the face again. I was dizzy and unconscious. That’s when I fell down, but he didn’t stop beating me,” she said.

She said even though she was losing consciousness, she remembered hearing her boyfriend’s cousin banging on the door.

“It was him who saved my life. I could have been dead,” she said.

The singer said when she woke up, she was lying in a pool of blood. She saw a steak knife and a leather belt lying next to her.

“I suspect he used them when he was attacking me,” she said.

She claimed that despite her injuries, the man did not take her to hospital because he was afraid the medical staff would encourage her to open assault charges against him. Instead, he held her hostage for five days at his home in Pretoria.

“My family and friends were not even allowed to visit me,” she said.

She was only allowed to contact her family after five days.

“My younger sister came to visit me, but she was also not allowed to contact the police or take me to hospital.

“My sister was happy to see me alive, but she couldn’t do much to change the situation,” she said.

“I wanted to leave with my sister and go home, but he wouldn’t let me do this. My sister had to leave without knowing what was going to happen to me next.

“I really don’t know why he did this to me if he really loves me,” she said, looking down at the floor.

After the assault, the singer said she and her boyfriend had tried to patch up things between them.

“But it will never be the same because I don’t feel safe with him any more,” she said.

“I know this is a toxic relationship, but I still love him.”

Asked if she loved him or his money, she said: “I’ve been approached by a lot of rich men before, but I love this one.”

Report the matter to the police and break the cycle of abuse

Banesisa Moyo, a social worker from People Opposing Women Abuse (Powa), said it was not too late for the complainant to go to the hospital and report the matter to the police as the wounds were still deep and visible.

“Her partner can be charged with attempted murder or assault with intention to cause grievous bodily harm. If she does not open a case, the challenge is that the partner may continue abusing her emotionally and physically because he has seen that she fears him,” Moyo said.

Moyo has urged the celebrity to seek medical help.

“She can disclose how she got injured. She will be assisted to recover. The file will remain at the hospital so she may use that report later in life if need be,” said Moyo.

She said it was up to the celebrity to take action, “otherwise, it can go on forever, and can even lead to death”.

“For her not to go back, she needs to break the cycle of abuse and truly see that her partner is not willing to change, but keeps asking for forgiveness. Such an abusive relationship is always interchanging between love, tension and the making-up phase,” she explained.