‘It will take about 25 hours of surgery over a three to four year period to reinstate her beauty’ Van der Velde said.
She has suffered burns to her eyelids, her left brow and her left ear, as well as deep burns to her left shoulder, hands, legs and left breast.
The 23 year old Zimbabwean was attacked by two males on the corner of Hudson and Strand Street in Cape Town recently.
Just minutes before the attack, she was on her way home from work at a nearby health clinic in Seapoint. Waiting for a taxi, she started to feel uncomfortable when the two men approached her. She climbed into a taxi and noticed that the men had followed her.
‘The taxi was heading towards Strand Street when they asked the driver to stop at a very quiet spot’ she said.
She told the police and media that one of the suspects had a bottle in his hands that looked like it contained water. When they got off the taxi, they threw the substance at her and within seconds she could feel her face burning.
The men then fled in the direction of the Bo-Kaap, while the taxi driver rushed the victim and the passenger next to her, to the Christiaan Barnaard Memorial Hospital. The doctors on duty confirmed that she had suffered severe acid burns. The passenger, a male, suffered minor acid burns on his legs.
Mark Van der Velde was in the emergency room at the time of her arrival.
He stated that it is a ‘privilege’ to offer his services to restore her ‘beauty’.
Police have arrested a male they believe to be one of the suspects. He briefly appeared in court where he has been charged with assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm. He is currently in police custody, while the search for the second suspect continues.
Speculation of a xenophobic attack has been ruled out.
‘We don't want to speculate about what the motive was, but it could have been a case of mistaken identity. It is an unusual crime. I can't recall a case of acid attack in this province’ stated SAPS spokesperson, Andre Traut.
Although Christiaan Barnard Memorial hospital have offered to reduce the victim’s medical costs, the total amount to help her recover have been estimated at R500 000. A trust fund has been set up to help with all her medical expenses, see below for details:
Standard Bank
Branch: Thibault Square, branch no: 02090900
Name: ACID ATTACK EXPENSE ACCOUNT
Account no: 074421395
Research:
‘Why me?’ asks Cape acid attack victim article, Mail & Guardian, 9th September 2011
Acid Victims forgives attackers article, allafrica.com, 9th September 2011
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