South Africa: CFWIJ Is Extremely Alarmed By The Horrific Attack On Dimakatso Ratselane
Location: South Africa
Date: February 13, 2021
Lesedi FM current affair anchor Dimakatso Ratselane was severely stabbed, allegedly by her husband. Ratselane is in critical condition and fighting for her life in hospital. On Wednesday, neighbours found Ratselane bleeding heavily and called an ambulance. It’s reported that the violent attack on the journalist continued for hours. CFWIJ is highly disappointed to learn about the suffering of Ratselane. We wish her a quick recovery and urge the police to catch the assailant as soon as possible.
Ratselane was travelling to Mangaung to see her children along with her husband. An argument between the couple resulted in a quarrel. The journalists’ friends found her profusely bleeding and called an ambulance. Ratselane was stabbed multiple times and she could not even say a word.
The suspect in the attack, Ratselanes’s husband, is a former police officer. Police started looking for him immediately after filing a case of attempted murder. A team of high profile detectives is hired to catch the culprit. Ratselanes’s family is still in denial to accept what she suffered, her children are not aware of her condition.
The journalists’ employer SABC news have also expressed their grief and anger over the incident. In a statement issued, the spokesperson Mmoni Seapolelo said, “ The Corporation views the horrendous attack as one of the enormous threats to the right to life, family stability, social progress, women's advancement, and productivity in the workplace.”
Ratselanes; friend Nthakoana Ngatane also requested the public on her Twitter account to report the whereabouts of the suspect behind the. She said, “ My colleague and friend #DimakatsoRatselane (nèe Folotsi) is fighting for her life after she was stabbed and left for dead allegedly by her husband. Anyone who might know the whereabouts of this suspect please call Crime Stop Nr. 0860010111 or via MySAPS App.”
My colleague and friend #DimakatsoRatselane (nèe Folotsi) is fighting for her life after she was stabbed and left for dead allegedly by her husband
— Nthakoana “Queen Mosia” Ngatane (@nthakoana) February 11, 2021
Anyone who might know the whereabouts of this suspect please call Crime Stop Nr. 0860010111 or via MySAPS App. pic.twitter.com/0EeKviB4P9
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is in utter shock and disappointment over this unfortunate incident. We hope that a police hunt will soon result in the apprehension of the suspect. We wish Ratselane a quick recovery and offer our full support.
The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.