Sivenathi Toto, 23, of Lawaaikamp, South Africa, was brutally attacked by her boyfriend’s competitor, leaving her paraplegic and brain damaged. Her family is now seeking justice for her.
On August 26, 2022, the suspect, Shaun Madonono, also 23, severely attacked Toto and left him for dead, according to a post posted by Women for Change on Thursday, June 1, 2023.
The attack, according to Toto’s relative Nosikhumbuzo Mhlaba, was motivated by retaliation.
“Her boyfriend went out and apparently had a fight with the suspect. After the fight, the suspect allegedly returned to the boyfriend’s house to take revenge,” said Mhlaba.
Mhlaba claimed that Toto was sleeping in her boyfriend’s outdoor room when Madonono arrived and that Toto’s boyfriend wasn’t home at the time.
She claims that Madonono forced her to go to his residence after breaking down the door, where he badly beat her.
“He grabbed her and dragged her to his house two streets away, where he allegedly beat her until she was unconscious,” Mhlaba said.
Madonono left Toto behind the Total garage on Nelson Mandela Boulevard after placing her in his bakkie once she was unconscious.
Toto was found by a gas station attendant sometime during the night, Mhlaba told reporters.
She was driven home by a neighbor, whereupon she filed a report the next day and was later transported to the hospital for a checkup.
The following day, Madonono was taken into custody. Since being freed on bail, he has been accused of kidnapping, breaking into a house, and assault with the intent to cause great bodily harm.
On Wednesday, May 10, 2023, he appeared before the Thembalethu Magistrate’s Court. The case was continued until May 30.
Madonono was given until June 12 to get other housing outside of Lawaaikamp. He lives across the street from the victim right now.
It appears that Toto has a stroke in December 2022. Her family thinks it’s because of the shock and wounds the incident left behind. Her family claims that when she was readmitted to the hospital in April, blood clots were discovered on her brain.
Toto requires feeding assistance, has lost some of her cognitive abilities, is unable to walk unassisted, has lost control of her urination, and her saliva flows from her mouth.
“She can’t talk and she has night terrors,” said her father, Simo Toto. “She only wants to sleep next to me. That is where she feels safe”.
Nadia Ferreira, the Western Cape Health Department’s district spokesman, verified that Toto was admitted to George Hospital three times in February of this year, twice in April, and once in August of 2022.
“Following assessment protocol, the patient was referred for a brain CT scan in March. When the patient’s condition deteriorated, she was admitted to George Hospital on 26 April for care. She was discharged on 3 May on chronic medication and with a rehabilitation support plan in place to ensure continued care,” said Ferreira.
Natasha, Toto’s mother, was forced to quit her job to care for her daughter, who used to work as a supervisor for her father’s company, Ceduma Maintenance.
