Pamela Malila, a 30-year-old teacher from Gwantshu location in Eastern Cape, is hiding due to threats from her former partner, who was arrested for a panga attack and sustaining several stab wounds.

Malila claims the suspect is sending voice notes threatening her and her son.

Malila, a victim of South African gender-based violence, survived a panga attack. She was left to die.

“On May 9th, he assaulted me with wood and iron rods, causing serious injury and I was admitted to the hospital the same day. He assaulted me in front of my child and my colleague.”

Pamela says what hurts most is how this is also affecting her child.  “My child is experiencing nightmares. He was threatening me to kill me and my child. He told us the police will never arrest him until death.”

Pamela now says she receives threatening voice notes from the alleged perpetrator.

“I will search for you; kill you and your child, if you don’t tell me where you are. I am out of prison now, and I will find you.”

She is now considering leaving the school where she spent most of her time teaching learners from the same village.

“I am willing to change school due to threatening behavior and feeling the community doesn’t support me while I’m producing good results. I feel like I’m hiding myself while achieving success.”

The government has also called for the war against gender-based violence to be strengthened.

Social Development MEC Bukiwe Fanta says, “We are going to fight this war until it comes to an end, but what is needed is strengthening our criminal justice, because sometimes people will see it as losing, but we are prepared, and we are having Imbizo, and I have arranged a meeting with the ministers to raise the issue of parole and the issue of police that are not taking care of issues, but we are not prepared to lose this war.”

Mnquma Local Municipality Manager, Silumko Mahlasela says, “This is untolerable. There might be some forums where we call on all the men because at the most, they are the people who are not aware of what they are doing and are the people who are continuing to do bad things to women, so we need to have those programmes that are going out.”

The fight against gender-based violence is still a major challenge in the country. Like Pamela, women suffer daily at the hands of their partners or former partners. Now she may have to give up her dream of adding value to learners in rural parts of the province.