Gender based violence in South Africa has risen at an alarming rate and celebrities have taken a stand to help curb the violence against women and children. Songstress Zahara has decided to open up about her unfortunate ordeal where she was almost raped a few years ago.
An emotional Zahara was a guest on etv’s The Morning Show for an exclusive interview, where she shares her struggles with gender-based violence. Being a victim herself, the Loliwe hitmaker lent her voice as part of the #MeToo campaign which shines the light on such violence.
With tears rolling down her cheeks the musician opens up about the incident which took place in East London, in the Eastern Cape, where a police officer offered her a lift and took her to a remote area in Buffalo park where there are bushes in an attempt to rape her.
“I told the officer where I wanted to go and gave him details of which he ignored. People who know East London very well will know of a place called Buffalo Park which is a remote area and open fields with lots of bushes,” she said.
The songstress then went on to say that the officer took another route, that’s when it immediately clicked to her that the officer had sinister intentions.
“I told him that he made a wrong turn then he shouted at me and told me to shut up. I argued with him and asked why should I keep quiet because I know where I am going and it is not under a bridge.
“He then drove under the bridge and pepper sprayed me. He made his way to a bushy area but luckily it was close to where my older sister lives,” she recalled.
Zahara then begged mercy from the officer who had taken out his gun in attempt to scare her. She begged for her life and luckily managed to getaway.
The musician is disheartened at the number of women who don’t get as lucky as her and end up dead from such situations. She is grateful however, that she has scars that keep on reminding her of the painful experience.
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Source: Zalebs
