'He assaulted me twice before, threatened to kill me': Thembinkosi Lorch's ex girlfriend

The ex-girlfriend of Orlando Pirates football player Thembinkosi Lorch alleged she was assaulted twice by him before she went to the police.

Fundiswa Nokuphiwa Mathithibala laid bare their relationship in a victim impact statement in the Randburg magistrate's court where Lorch is due to be sentenced. 

Mathithibala alleged he had moved in with her, with the plan being they would move when he was ready to buy a house. She claimed she also lent him money. 

Lorch was convicted of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm last year, for strangling and beating her on the night of September 7 2020.

The relationship started in 2018, when she was renting a two-bedroom apartment in Ferndale, Randburg, and he was renting in Vorna Valley in Midrand. In the same year, they decided to move in together but as she had more furniture than he did, they agreed he should move into her place.

“They equally contributed towards the rent. They cohabited at her place till he could afford to buy a house,” the statement read. 

“In October 2019, he bought a town house in Midrand as his income was increased at Orlando Pirates. She lent him R150k which he paid towards the house the same month they moved in. 

“In 2020 they decided to start their own family and she fell pregnant but experienced a miscarriage. Around this time, they had treated each other with love and respect,” read the report.

Then, however, he started to have trust issues and would accuse her of cheating.

“He would sleep in a separate room.

“The accused would send her text messages informing her that he feared he would kill himself,” the report said.  She perceived this as an attempt to threaten and control her.

At the time of the latest assault, Mathithibala and Lorch were no longer living together. 

She claimed that on the day of the assault, she was visiting Lorch when he left her at his home to go out with one of his friends. When it was getting late, she messaged him to return her car keys.

“On arrival, an argument ensued and Lorch became violent towards her, and accused her of cheating.

“He pushed her and she fell on the pavement. She had natural hair and he pulled her by it. She screamed for help.

“His friend came to her rescue.

“He didn’t show mercy and was proud, telling her to call the police.”

Mathithibala said she didn’t report the two previous assaults as she was protecting his job and reputation.

“These were not as severe as the current incident,” read the report.

She said she had suffered intense emotional and mental repercussions.

“She found it difficult to balance life, and couldn’t focus on work as she would break down. She struggled to sleep and suffered horribly. She constantly questioned herself why Lorch treated her this way and couldn’t reconcile with the fact of being a victim of gender-based violence. Even her hair has become a constant reminder of the ordeal.”

Lorch told the court he was willing to make amends and apologise to Mathithibala.

The case was postponed to November 21.

Orlando Pirates, in a statement after Lorch's conviction in June, said the club had held an internal inquiry after his arrest. He had been fined, and ordered to undergo anger management therapy. He had completed the prescribed number of sessions.

“Since then, Mr Lorch has not been involved in any similar incident or an incident involving violence. We are confident that the anger management therapy was an appropriate corrective measure.” 

The club added it would not comment further until the criminal case had been finalised.

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