Eastern Cape woman goes into hiding after attack by boyfriend

A 37-year-old woman in the Eastern Cape is in hiding after she was brutally attacked with a machete by her boyfriend.

The victim alleges the incident happened after reporting the suspect to Correctional Services as he is a parolee.

According to the victim, prison wardens fetched the parolee but later she was told the suspect had escaped.

He came back and allegedly attacked the victim.

“When I arrived where I was hiding under the bed, I looked for Correctional Services in Elliotdale number and called them.  They sent two prison wardens. They came and took him. After 10 minutes, they came back telling me that he had run away, I asked them how can a person who threatened to kill me escape from them. They told me that they will go and search for him in town. Within five minutes he came back and started attacking me with a machete.”

Police spokesperson in the province, Majola Nkohli, says they are still investigating the case.

“Police can confirm that they are investigating a case of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, following the alleged assault of a 37-year-old victim by her then boyfriend in January 2025. A criminal case was opened two months later (March 2025). Police are hot on the heels of the suspect, and his arrest is imminent.”