Cape Town - A Kuils River woman who looked forward to spending the Easter weekend with her family is instead fearing for her life in place of safety following a savage beating by her ex-cop partner.
A 46-second viral video recorded by shocked residents in Kuils River, depicts the woman being allegedly dragged down the street by her boyfriend.
Weekend Argus received the footage this week after Giviano Britz was released on R500 bail at the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court.
During an interview with the newspaper, Britz confessed to the attack and said he was sorry for what he did and said he needed professional help to deal with his short temper, excessive drinking and past traumatic events.
“I am devastated by what happened. I am highly disappointed in myself,” he said.
“I am very down. I am going through a lot of trauma. Someone close to me committed suicide recently, and I lost my cousin, and now this.
“I need counselling. I know the video has gone viral. I am in a state of depression. I have no family here in Cape Town. She (victim) is my family.
“I am shaking as I am speaking with you. We had arguments before. When I have a drinking problem, I have a short temper.”
In the video, Britz is seen allegedly pulling the woman by her hair and denim jacket while residents beg him to stop.
At one stage, Britz falls and flings his body on top of the helpless woman, who is heard screaming and moaning.
The residents call out to the woman to stand up and inform him that they are making a video and will show the police and call them and that he has no right to treat a woman like a dog.
Britz was once stationed at Mfuleni Police Station and was engaged to the 26-year-old woman.
The couple have a two-year-old son together.
The alleged attack took place on Sunday in Sunbird Drive North, Sunbird Park, in front of their minor child.
The woman has since been placed in a home of safety, which is not known to friends or family.
It is further alleged that Britz had previously attacked the woman in February with a knife.
Britz had previously faced two charges of assault, which he allegedly had withdrawn against him and was granted bail on Monday.
Authorities said they had released a man who had intended on killing her.
A photograph of the woman depicts her eyes swollen shut, and she is barely recognisable.
Due to the woman being in a place of safety, an interview could not be conducted with her by the newspaper.
Captain FC van Wyk confirmed the man had been granted bail and would be back in court on May 18. “Be advised that the incident occurred on April 10 at about 12.18am at premises in Sunbird Drive North, Sunbird Park.
“A 39-year-old man was arrested on an assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm case.
“He appeared yesterday in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court on the mentioned charges. Out on bail, the case was postponed to May 18 2022, for further investigation.”
The woman’s family has since made a request for the case to be moved to another police station, alleging officers are corrupt.
Van Wyk appealed to the woman’s relatives to report corrupt police officers to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) and lodge a complaint. “Crimes against women and children are a top priority for the Western Cape police, and the allegation levelled against the police station from your source is viewed in a serious light.
“It is on that basis that your source is encouraged to lodge an official complaint at the Mfuleni SAPS management or Ipid in this regard so that the circumstances can be investigated.”
The woman’s sister, 23, who cannot be identified, said they feared for her sister’s life.
“They are four years together, and they have a child together,” said the sister.
“He was at Mfuleni Police Station but resigned. She made other cases of assault against him, and he forced her to withdraw it.
“We do not know where my sister is. We just know she is in a safe place, and we are very worried. We cannot believe that he was given R500 bail. How could they let him go? He was going to kill her. He previously made threats and stabbed her with a knife a few months ago.
“They live together. As a family, we are requesting that the case docket be moved from that police station because he knows people there, and they are corrupt.
“We fear for her life. This whole thing happened in front of their child. He must suffer for what he did (to my sister).
Siya Monakali of ILitha Labantu, an organisation for women and children’s rights, said the same law which applied to criminals had to apply to police officers. “As an organisation that advocates for the rights of women and children for over 33 years, we are deeply disappointed to hear of cases of this nature, where police officers, who are entrusted with the responsibility to serve and protect, misuse their authority and violate women.
“Over the years, cases of this nature have been brought to the forefront where the conduct of members of the SAPS has come to question, and as an organisation, we strongly believe that the law needs to apply to everyone, and police officers should not operate with impunity.”
The attack bears the same hallmarks of police officer Richard “Makka” Smit, who is accused of killing his girlfriend Natasha Booise on January 2 in Main Road, Piketberg.
He allegedly shot and killed Booise in front of her family and her minor child.
In March, the National Prosecuting Authority’s Eric Ntabazalila revealed Smit had a lengthy criminal record.
Smit was convicted of assault to cause grievous bodily harm in 2015 when he stabbed Hogan Henry with a knife under his rib.
He was sentenced at the Malmesbury Regional Court to 36 months of Correctional Supervision with 24-hour house arrest and 16 hours of correctional services.
Three years later, he was sentenced at the same court and fined R1500 after he assaulted a man.
Ntabazalila said, at the time, Smit had used the same firearm he had gained back from the police to allegedly kill Booise. “His late father also applied for a protection order in 2013 after Smit swore, pointed his service pistol at him and threatened to shoot him.
Weekend Argus