Cape Town -
Police used a stun grenade to disperse angry protesters outside the Ashton Magistrate’s Court, where two men appeared on charges of assault on Wednesday.
Police formed a protective ring around Johnny Burger, owner of Rietvallei Wine Estate, and farm manager Wilhelm (Dozi) Treurnicht as they made their way to their bakkie after their brief court appearance on Wednesday.
Once the men were in the vehicle, the crowd surrounded them, jumped on to the back of the vehicle, hit the windows and bonnet, and threw stones.
The men had appeared on two charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm in connection with assaulting farm worker Flip Engelbrecht and his son, Flippie, five years ago.
Flippie, now 20, was left epileptic and blind. Later he fell into a fire during a seizure and lost both his hands. Last week he was fitted with a pair of prosthetic hands.
It is the State’s case that in 2008 Burger and Treurnicht beat Engelbrecht, who worked on the farm, and Flippie, then 15.
On Wednesday, the small court building, which has only one courtroom, was filled with tension and anger as the community waited for the two men to appear.
By 9am, more than 100 farmworkers and community members had gathered outside the court to support the Engelbrecht family.
Burger and Treurnicht arrived after 11am, and it was reported that they were late because one had not been feeling well. This prompted fury from the gallery.
Shouts of “why are you so special? Who do you think you are?” were yelled as they entered the courtroom.
“You say that you not feeling well. How you think this child feels and all the other children you assault?” shouted Carina Papenfus, secretary of the Freedom Trust.
After a brief appearance, magistrate Francois van Deventer transferred the case to the Ashton Regional Court, postponing the matter to September 13.
As the two left the dock, a community member yelled: “Druk hom vas (get him)!”
There was a rush for the door, and police formed a protective ring around the duo as the crowd suddenly surrounded them.
The men reached their bakkie safely, but then people climbed on to the back and rocked it from side to side, while others hit the windows and bonnet.
“Brand hom (burn him)!” was shouted numerous times.
As the vehicle moved slowly away, stones were thrown. Police used a stun grenade to disperse the crowd.
Solomzi Ntlalombi, one of the protesters, said that, although he did not know Flippie he was there to support him.
“An injury to one is an injury to all. I don’t even know him, but support him because of the pain he had to go through.”
Nosey Pieterse, general secretary of the Building and Allied Workers Union of SA, said Flippie’s case was not unique.
“It’s a daily matter of farmworkers being violated. There are many such cases where some have even died, but the farmer is never charged. We are busy reviving those cases too,” Pieterse said.
Later Flippie said that he was feeling heartsore.
“The farmer didn’t feel well, but how did I feel after he assaulted me? Blood was running out of my ears and nose. I’m hurting. I can’t do anything for my parents.”
Cape Argus