Grahamstown police have launched an internal investigation over allegations of shoddy police-work following the death of Fingo Village attack victim Thandiswa Qubuda.
Grahamstown police have launched an internal investigation over allegations of shoddy police-work following the death of Fingo Village attack victim Thandiswa Qubuda.
Horrific details have emerged, weeks after a brutal attack that left Qubuda maimed and comatose, including allegations that police incompetence had made matters worse. She died on 28 February, six weeks after the attack.
From accounts for the first time last week, Qubuda had not stood a chance of surviving.
Left half naked in the pouring rain for four hours and then being admitted to hospital as a car-accident victim, she'd spent a week there in a coma as an "unknown female" before a family friend tracked her down.
These and other shocking details were revealed by emotional relatives, community members, church leaders, friends and neighbours at a packed BB Zondani hall on Thursday.
The occasion was a memorial service for Qubuda.
She was buried on Saturday. Fingo Village resident
Phumla Kota, one of the first people to realise Qubuda was being attacked, gave a chilling account of what had happened that night. Describing the incident which has made national headlines and has become a huge topic on social networks, she said the attack had occurred close to her home.
"I was inside my house sleeping with my husband when we heard that there was something happening outside," Kota said.
Kota said the two men who were attacking Qubuda became anxious when they realised that she (Kota) was calling the police and one said "Let's run!" The other man had started dragging Qubuda and tried to push her into the toilet.
Kota said her husband and his brother had chased the two men.
She said throughout, they had tried desperately to get hold of the police. "We saw a [security car]and we tried to stop it but they did not stop," she said.
Kota said Qubuda lay in pouring rain from 2am to about 6am. When they'd seen her, they said, her body was in a very bad state and her trousers were undone.
"Even a dog had started eating her," she said to screams in the packed hall.
The people in attendance had some harsh words and questions for the police on duty on that day, as well as the paramedics.
Reverend Phindile Baxana, who knew Qubuda, asked critical questions about the events that followed the attack.
"If she had not spent four hours in the cold and in the rain would Thandiswa have died?" He blamed the law enforcers for their lack of care, saying Qubuda had spent a week in hospital, with her file indicating that she had been involved in a car accident.
"We have failed her for six weeks after her attack. If she were rich, would we have handled this case differently?" he asked.
"She was an unknown female in Livingstone [hospital]," he said. "The police must be truthful. Once people take the law into their own hands they get arrested,but [the police]drag their feet when they are called to report crime," said Baxana.
Family member Danisile Nyengane thanked the Unemployed People's Movement for the role they played in following the progress of the case.
Andile Hoyi, of the ANC Youth League, said they would do their own investigation on the case and would continue to support the family.
"We took Kota's version of what happened and gave it to the NPA and we are going to make sure that the people who were on duty on that day account," Hoyi said.
Ward councillor Vuyani Kolisi said while reported crime levels in Hlalani were low, a lot of things happened.
"People don't report them to the police – they just discuss them among themselves," he said.
Grahamstown resident Siphokazi Magadla said a lot of people in the room probably did not know Qubuda and never would. "But the brutal manner in which she was killed has brought us here today," she said.
Qubuda was buried at Mayfield cemetery on Saturday.
The two car guards who were arrested after the attack are currently out on free bail. They are due to appear in court on 25 March.
SAPS Cluster Commander for Grahamstown, Brigadier Vakala Moyake, said, “The allegations leveled against the SAPS are viewed in a serious light. An internal investigation has been launched into the incident.”
Police spokesperson, Captain Mali Govender said in a statement that an internal investigation would establish whether or not the police had acted in accordance with prescribed policies and procedures.
"The case that we were investigating was that of attempted murder," Govender noted. "This has now changed to murder."
