Cecil Motsepe

Cecil Motsepe

Actress and a former Soweto Gospel Choir member Jessica Mpangeni was allegedly assaulted by a woman she described as "a neighbour from hell".

The praise poet and singer is walking with difficulty after her neighbour, Elsie van Staden, allegedly entered her flat in Newtown, Johannesburg, and assaulted her.

"I did not expect anyone to come into my house and assault me, especially a woman. I have lost my dignity and I want justice," she said.

Mpangeni, who featured in the SABC drama series Soul City and Tsha Tsha, said the incident began when she told Van Staden's 11-year-old son to stop kicking a football in the direction of her wet laundry.

She said: "This boy was doing this for the third time. His mother came fuming into my house after I tried to reprimand him. She grabbed a knife and tried to stab me while bashing me against the wall. She called me 'kaffir' in between the blows."

Mpangeni said the knife caught her hand.

"She went into my bedroom and went through my wardrobe because she believed I hid her son's football."

Police were called in and Mpangeni pressed assault charges against the knife-wielding woman.

"The police officer who came to the scene told me not to press charges," Mpangeni said. "When he realised that I would not budge he advised the woman to open a counter charge to try to weaken my case.

"It is shocking how this police officer conducted himself. When you call the police to come to your rescue the last thing you expect is for them to take sides with the aggressor.

Mpangeni's lawyer, Prince Phalane, said yesterday: "We are not taking this lightly. We will push for my client to get justice,"

Van Staden will appear in court on January 23.