THE gogo knelt and prayed – and got lashes from a female patroller with a sjambok after being accused of bringing evil into her yard.
Gogo Gladys Mbatha (75) went to the patroller’s house on 20 November because she needed help.
She said when she got there she found the house locked and when there was no answer, she turned to God for answers.
But little did she know it would nearly cost her life.
The gogo from Wattville in Ekurhuleni was first lashed by the patroller who later called the community so they could carry out a mob attack.
Gogo was saved by residents and the patroller decided to take her to the police station.
Actonville police did not open a case against the gogo.
Instead, they took the injured gogo to the local clinic to get treatment. Two days later, the patroller was arrested.
The patroller was released on R500 bail by the Benoni Magistrates Court on 2 December and will appear again on 18 January.
Gogo Gladys told Daily Sun she was frustrated when she got to the patroller’s house but she wouldn’t open.
“I found myself praying, asking God to intervene. When she heard me praying she came with a sjambok and assaulted me, and accused me of bringing demons into her yard.” Gogo said she had come from church and was dressed in stockings and heels.
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“The patroller called the community to kill me but she changed her mind after the community reprimanded her for assaulting an elderly person.”
Local gender-based violence activist Nhlanhla Mkhondo said gogo decided on her own to open a case.
“We saw the gogo was seriously injured. We think her son was angry and he insisted she open a case,” said Nhlanhla.
