• A 99-year-old woman and an 80-year-old woman were raped in separate attacks in Lusikisiki just days apart.

• Two women died after they were badly beaten, one by her boyfriend in Gqeberha and one by her partner in Mthatha.

Women in the Eastern Cape are under attack. In just one week, three women were raped and two others were killed.

In Lusikisiki, two elderly women were raped in their homes.

The first woman, who is 99 years old, was raped on Tuesday night. She was sleeping alone when a man came in through an open door. He shone a light in her face and raped her.

Four days later, a 28-year-old man forced his way into another home. He raped an 80-year-old woman in front of her grandchildren. After the attack, the man fell asleep. Neighbours were called and found him still sleeping. They held him until the police arrived. He will appear in court on Monday.

In East London, a 51-year-old woman died on Friday after her partner beat her. She had gone to visit him at work in Mthatha the week before. He works at a car dealership. The couple fought, and he hit her.

He only took her to hospital the next day and told staff she had been attacked by strangers. She remained in hospital for a week. On Friday, the man came to visit her and brought her something to drink. Later that day, she died.

Police arrested the 57-year-old man the same night. They said they had electronic evidence. Doctors will now carry out a post-mortem to determine the cause of death.

And in Gqeberha, a 37-year-old woman was beaten to death on Sunday. Her boyfriend is believed to have killed her at their home in the Kuyga informal settlement.

The Eastern Cape is one of the worst places in South Africa for violence against women and children. Police say Lusikisiki has the highest number of sexual crimes in the province. Mthatha and East London are also among the top 30 crime areas in the country.

Pictured above: Police lights.

Image source: File