SURVIVOR'S STORIES
reginahs STORY

It was just a normal day for me, woke up in the morning got dressed went to work, was very excited about a lot of things that were happening to me both personally and in my career. I'd just changed jobs got a company car; everything was going according to plan.

14 days at the new job I want to impress my boss tried to arrange appointment with my client after hours just to get that sale. Come 4.30 I'm still working in the office trying to finalize my quotes before I see my next client at 6 pm. 5.15 I left the office eagerly driving to see my last client to have the sale concluded. The meeting went well, signed on the doted line I'm very happy went home to celebrate my first sale.

On my way home, decided to stop at McDonalds to buy take aways for my daughter and I, as I left McDonald the time was 7.10, drove very fast as I was timing myself because this was the day when Jacob Zuma was relieved of his presidential duties and I wanted to watch the whole saga on the news. Little did I know that somebody was following me and watching all my moves and my life was just about to come an end?

When I turned left to my street the time was 7.26, drove faster because I wanted to be home before 7.30 for the SABC 1 news bulletin. I drove to the gate, got out of my car opened the gate, as I was turning around to get into my car to drive in the house.

There was a red car that was driving very fast, two guys jumped out of the car whilst it was in motion drew guns ordered me to get into my car and they took the scarf that I was wearing blind folded me with it and forced me underneath the seat. I complied with everything that was asked of me.

They drove with me for about 20 to 25 k's until we got to a deserted area (Squatter camp) where they started arguing about the spot. It was very dark and the roads were very bumpy. Finally they found the spot, the car was stopped, the driver came towards me, opened my door told me to get out of the car. Tried to stand-up, but I was hit by something and I was told that they meant that I must crawl not stand up. Tried to crawl whilst blind folded with two guns against my head.

I crawled to the open veldt; the grass had the smell of smoke because it was burnt during the day. I was told to lie down in my stomach, then the one guy left in my car and I was left with the other guy who was instructed to watch me. He was gone for over an hour, whilst I was lying down in a damp veldt next to a running river, the guy was trying to be nice to me asking if I was cold and I said to him I'm fine. He also had an interest on my jewelry and rings; fortunately I did not have any. He asked why I did not put on my jewellery, and then I told him I'm allergic. The guy that took off with my car was the violent one he was extremely violent I kept on responding to his demands by calling him buti (meaning brother).

He was gone for an hour and his friend started to panic, then he phoned him I did not hear their conversation, when he was finished I asked him for my diary in the car, my diary is my life. He said to me it's fine he will ask the other guy to bring it back. Whilst I was lying down someone, a man, went past, but he did not notice anything as it was very dark, A part of me told me to scream, but I thought maybe it is not a good idea, because the guy watching me has a gun. So I thought let it go Reginah and face your sins alone. 15 minutes later another guy went past again, I thought to myself maybe God is trying to save me, make a move Reginah, but I was so scared for his life and thought let me not do anything stupid just now. The guy watching me to me I don't need your ass, I will never rape you all I need is the money.

I was a bit relieved but very confused because I had ruled out the possibility of hi-jack, because I thought if is the car they are looking for, they had the opportunity to take the car at my gate and just leave me alone. Then after an hour, the violent guy came back, in my mind I'm asking myself what now. Then he took out the money they started sharing it. He had my bag in his hand not the dairy that I asked for.
He came towards me with my bag and he took out my purse, he told me to give him my pin numbers. I told him there is no money in my bank, then he cocked his gun he told me he does not have time to play, either I tell him or die. Tried to negotiate with him for about 30 minutes, he would not listen to me, then finally I was told to stand up, I was still blind folded, he took me further into the veldt.
He told me to lie down again on my stomach, which I did then he said to me I was sent by somebody who lives in your area to hi-jack, rape and kill you. He asked if my name was Anna, and I said no my name is not Anna, I reached into my bag and I showed him my ID, then he immediately made a phone call to his bosses and said it seems as if we got the wrong person. I did not hear the rest of the conversation, all I can say is that they were talking. He kept on saying yes, no, yes no.

In my mind I knew this was the end of me, all I could think of was my little girl and I thought she would never see me again. I kept on praying to God, that he looks after her and give her a good life. He kept on going back and forth to his friends and they were deciding what to with me. His friend was still at the first spot. I found myself in the same room with Lee Matthews, Constable Rasuge, the list goes on and on. I kept on asking myself, is this what you went through.
Then the torturing began again he went for my purse and told me he is giving me the last chance to make up my mind about the pin codes or I die, I said to him let me make a call to someone who can the bring the money to him, or I can make some arrangements to pay him on a monthly basis, he must just give the figure. He looked at me he cocked his gun again and he said to me he does not have time for games I must give the money now or I die. At this time he was now sitting on top of me and I was lying down. He left again he went to his friend.

Then he came back, he said his friends told him to kill me, but he is not going to kill me, and now that he is not going to kill me, how am I going to thank him. I could see where he was going, but I did not want to be the one suggesting it. Then I said to him let me give you the money then he said to me now you are talking. He said where is the money going to come from now. I asked him again for a phone call so that I can get him the money that he wanted.

He got so pissed off with me after I suggested that, and then he said to me I must have sex with him. Then I said it is fine but I asked him for a huge favor. I asked him to use a condom, with a harsh voice he asked me why. At this stage I was ready to take that bullet because there was no way I was prepared to take the death sentence that he was about to give me. I THANK GOD FOR GIVING THE WISDOM TO HANDLE THE SITUATION ESP THIS PART.

I wanted to tell him that I was HIV positive, but I thought this is such a common disease he might not even believe me, also what if he says he's got AIDS as well. I said to him (buti) I'm married with three kids and my husband is divorcing because I'm very sick, I told him I've got worms coming out of my private parts and if he has sex with me without a condom he will contract the disease. This changed his mind he sat on top of me and he was silent for about 3-5 minutes I thought now I'm off the hook.

Boy was I wrong, He reach-out to his pocket took out the condom and he told me to put it on, I did it and then he said to me I must arouse him because he is not hard enough. I was blind folded I tried to look for his dick, found it and I started sucking him, but I was puking, he was not very impressed with me, he told me to go ahead, his gun against my head I did it. Then he started to rape me while I was blind folded and his gun against my head. After that he told me not to put on my clothes because his friend must come.
Then he went and called his friend but his friend was not interested, then he came back and shouted at me and asked me why I did not put on my clothes. Then I started putting on my clothes. He took my scarf wiped himself with it and he made a call, then he left, as he was leaving I turned to look, I saw I white Honda Ballade on the road driven by a well respected gentlemen, he went towards the car and they took off.
Then I started stumbling and falling to find my way home. I did not know where I was or where to go. I went to the middle of the road I started hiking, a red car went past in my mind I thought it was them again. I hiked then the driver was reluctant to stop, he stopped further down from where I was , I begged him to come back he finally he did. As a ran towards him he did not trust me he thought it was a trap, he cocked his gun whilst opening his window. I told him my story, he helped me.
I asked him to take me to the nearest police station, which he did, but the funniest part is that from where he picked me to the police station it was less than 3 minutes, We got to the police station and he handed me over to the cops. By the time we got to the police station it was 10h45. I thought my nightmare was over.
The police on duty refused to open a docket, because the first scene happened in Kibler-Park, so I must go to Mondoer police station. Then I asked to use their phone, I phoned my mother in Soweto who was very shocked. She tried to organize transport and tried to go to the police station, I also phoned a friend of mine who was in the area and he was the first one to arrive at the scene.
They drove me to Mondoer police station and we were faced with the same drama of opening the case. After a long struggle a case was opened for me. I was also told to wait to be taken to center for ABUSED WOMEN AND CHILDREN. We waited for the people from the center to come an hour later a gentlemen came to fetch me to the center, but he asked us to bear with him because his got another victim that he need to pick up at Booysens police station.
My mother was with me the whole time, then we got to Booysens police station to pick-up the victim, my mother and I were in the car waiting for him, he came back later with a 3year old girl that was raped. When I saw this I started crying uncontrollably.

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