Mercy Pakela was mugged at a taxi rank in Johannesburg.
A group of people recently charged at her in downtown Johannesburg, leaving her traumatised. Mercy Pakela, a veteran singer and advocate for the music industry, tells ZiMoja that she was being pursued by robbers when she was out on foot at a nearby taxi station. The vocalist of Ayashisa Amataki claims that after grappling with the criminals, she fled for her life.
Mercy reports that she was on her way to a meeting when a woman tried to pickpocket her. “I was walking, and the lady tried to stick her dirty little fingers in my bag, but I caught her,” she says.
“Ndathi, voetsek sathane. Kanti, she was with two other women, in the syndicate. They tried to pull me into a corner and take my things. But I fought. I fought.” Mercy says they managed to take a necklace and nothing else. “I had my phones and everything in my bag. They didn’t get anything else. I fought. They must not think that I am old and don’t know how to protect myself,” Mercy adds.
Despite everything, she still continued with her meeting.
Mercy feels as if crime against women and children is becoming worse. “We are not safe in this country at all. Women and children are not safe. Children are being trafficked and still kidnapped daily,” she says. “I am lucky to not have been harmed. I am just grateful because anything could have happened to me.”
Overall, Mercy is glad that she is safe.
Also see: “I can’t hear” – Nhlanhla Mafu on hearing loss journey
