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A brutal attack on a 25-year-old woman, Zizipho Nikita Kalubi, in South Africa resulted in the surgical removal of her severely damaged left eye.
The incident occurred on Saturday, August 26, as Kalubi and her boyfriend were going about their day in Somerset West, Cape Town.
The attacker, an admirer of the victim whom she had encountered a few times in Khayelitsha Town Two, began harassing her when he spotted her with her boyfriend.
He started making inappropriate comments and catcalls, escalating his behaviour despite her attempts to ignore him.
Kalubi recalled the terrifying ordeal, saying, “As a young woman, I’m no stranger to harassment from men. When he began with his lewd remarks and said, ‘Hey sexy, I want you,’ I tried to brush it off and continued walking with my boyfriend.
He even attempted to touch me, but I never imagined he would be so bold with my boyfriend present. However, that day, he became increasingly aggressive and approached us.”
Recognizing the escalating threat, Kalubi’s boyfriend confronted the harasser, urging him to leave her alone.
They resumed walking, but to their horror, the attacker reappeared shortly thereafter. This time, he struck Kalubi in the face with a brick, causing her to lose consciousness.
Kalubi recounted waking up later and realizing she was admitted to Khayelitsha Hospital. She was subsequently transferred to Tygerberg Hospital for further treatment.
The medical assessment at Tygerberg revealed that her left eye was severely damaged and had to be surgically removed. Additionally, she was informed that her nose had been fractured during the assault.
Concerned for her daughter’s well-being, Kalubi’s mother sought a second opinion at Vergelegen Hospital in Somerset.
Regrettably, they received the same verdict: her left eye needed to be removed. The surgery to remove her left eye took place on Tuesday, August 28.
Currently, Kalubi is in the process of healing from her injuries, awaiting the implantation of a prosthetic eye at the hospital.
