Staff Sergeant Kholiswa Mashalaba, of the General Support Base Western Cape at Youngsfield in Cape Town, apparently hid the scissors between her breasts last Tuesday morning when her supervisor called her in to have a word.
According to the SANDF, Mashalaba has been absent from work for the past three consecutive Mondays, and as a result, her work has fallen behind schedule.
Warrant Officer 1st class Moos Baartman, Mashalaba's supervisor in the logistics department, called her in on that Tuesday morning.
It appears she attacked him at some point during the conversation, and stabbed him in the forehead, the back of the head, neck and back. It was reportedly a corporal - who witnessed part of the incident and apparently saw her concealing the scissors – who pulled her off Baartman.
Baartman was taken to the base infirmary, while the Military Police (MP) took Mashalaba away.
She was arrested and later released so that her unit may inform her what charges have been lain against her. Meanwhile, she allegedly threatened the corporal should he testify against her.
Intimidated a witness
The MPs were called in again because she had allegedly intimidated a witness in the case.
When she arrived at the military court the next day (Wednesday) there was a dispute, according to the SANDF, since she had to appear in court within 24 hours due to the seriousness of the charge.
Apparently the court also felt the case should be referred to the magistrate's court due to the nature of the case. Mashalaba then appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on a preliminary charge of attempted murder.
She was released under strict conditions, after which her unit temporarily transferred her to another unit.
According to the SANDF, her unit applied to have her suspended on that same day. An application was also submitted to have her appear before a competency board.
In serious cases, this board can decide whether a soldier should be discharged from the defence force, regardless of the fact that the soldier has not yet been found guilty or not guilty in court.
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Army-stabbing-weapon-hid-in-breasts-20101013