Johannesburg - The Vereeniging District Court has heard about the alleged torture and murder of a 15-year-old boy at a controversial game-ranger training camp in 2011, it was reported on Wednesday.
Raymond Buys died a month after being admitted to a Vereeniging hospital, emaciated and with, among others, skull fractures, following a 10-week stay at the camp, during which he was banned from contacting his family, according to a report in Beeld.
Camp owner Alex de Koker, 49, and his employee, Michael Erasmus, 20, have been charged with murder, child abuse, neglect and two cases of assault with intent to cause serious physical injury.
On Tuesday, Gerhard Oosthuizen, 19, reportedly testified that Buys, with whom he shared a tent during the training course, was chained to his bed every night, was refused permission to visit the toilet and forced to eat his own faeces.
According to Beeld, Oosthuizen told the court that Buys was extremely weak and unable to do the manual labour the boys were forced to perform. Buys was often beaten with planks, hosepipes and sticks when he did not do his duties properly, Oosthuizen said.
Shortly before Buys was admitted to hospital, Oosthuizen reportedly saw De Koker and Erasmus electrocuting Buys, who was naked and tied to a chair.
“He screamed... I was scared and ran away.”
Buys was later brought back to the tent and chained to his bed.
The cross-examination of Oosthuizen is expected to begin on Wednesday. - Sapa