Known for her bravery and courage after surviving a brutal attack in 1994, Gqeberha rape survivor and inspirational speaker Alison Botha is once again showing resilience after recovering from a ruptured brain aneurysm.
“Back in 1994 I had my first near-death experience,” she shared during a TikTok video posted on Monday 11 August.
In 1994, Botha was left for dead when she was attacked, raped and stabbed 37 times in bushes near her home.
Addressing supporters , on her Tiktok account yesterday, Botha detailed the days leading up to her emergency brain surgery last year which she described as a second near-death experience.
“In 2023 they unexpectedly released the men who attacked me back in 1993/1994 and I spiralled into depression and anxiety,” she shared. “I tried to go on with work, travelling and talks but it had been hard.”
She explained how “2024 was a tough year” and that waking up with a headache one morning was not unusual.
“I’ve suffered with headaches ever since my attack,” she explained while making a slicing motion on the left side of her throat. “During my attack, this muscle has always caused me problems with headaches and we thought it was just that, a bad migraine.”
However, later that day Botha’s son reportedly found her collapsed on the bathroom floor.
“After a day or two, I was taken to hospital where they did scans and discovered I had a burst brain aneurysm,” she shared
Botha was transported to Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, where she reportedly underwent multiple brain surgeries last year.
“I lost my vision, I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t move and I couldn’t turn myself over,” she recounted.
The support of her loved ones however kept her hanging on and fighting to pull through.
“It was tough, they (family) were told that I wasn’t going to make it,” she shared. “People didn’t give up on me and I didn’t ever give up on me.”
After several brain surgeries Botha spent time at a rehab facility where she had to relearn how to sit, walk, eat and shower.
“I’m grateful for how I recovered, once again it is miraculous.”
She extended her gratitude to every individual for their support and donations, of more than R332,000, that went towards her medical care.
@alison.botha Welcome to my page 🦋 #alisonbotha #type #southa #viral #sama28 #fyp #inspiration #survivor #ihavelife ♬ original sound – Alison Botha
Parole Revoked
The parole of Frans du Toit and Theuns Kruger, who was convicted of Alison Botha’s attack in 1997, has since been revoked.
The Minister of Correctional Services Dr Pieter Groenewald cancelled the parole earlier this year.
In a statement on 4 February, he said: “This decision was made in accordance with the Correctional Services Act, which empowers the Minister to cancel parole for individuals sentenced to life imprisonment.
“The Minister’s primary consideration is the imperative of protecting and securing the community, particularly in instances where acts of violence against women and children have been committed.”
Meanwhile, in a statement on 13 May Acting Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services Janho Engelbrecht shared that the department received notice of litigation from Botha’s legal representatives indicating that there had been no victim consultation during the parole process.
