Cape Town - A man has been arrested in Cape Town after a car was set alight and a German businessman badly injured on Tuesday morning.
The car was apparently petrol-bombed after an argument.
Police spokeswoman Constable Noloyiso Rwexana confirmed that a 38-year-old man had been arrested for attempted murder, and would appear in court soon.
The police cordoned off Wesley Street in Gardens, near the Gardens Shopping Centre, around 8am on Tuesday, while paramedics gave the man on-scene medical treatment.
The police did not release the injured man’s name.
ER24 spokeswoman Chitra Bodasing said the man sustained severe burns and was transported to hospital.
Bodasing said the man, believed to be in his 50s ,was removed from the partially burnt vehicle by a fire and rescue team.
Paramedics found him in a critical condition. The man, who lives in the city, was in intense pain, screaming and lifting his legs.
Speaking to the Cape Argus, Joseph Rashid, who works close to where the incident took place, said he went outside after hearing a loud noise.
“We were working when we heard a bang, and on going outside to see what was happening we saw a man and his car burning and we ran back to our site and collected sand so we could put out the flames.”
Rashid said they didn’t want the fire to spread because it would have killed the man and damaged other properties.
Jeanette Neeser, who lives a few metres from the scene, said her dog started barking when the injured man started arguing loudly with another man.
Then she saw a car burning and rushed to call the police.
Another resident, Warwick Peterson, said: “He had an argument with his worker and I think it might have been over money.
“I heard a big bang when the petrol bomb hit his car.”
Cape Argus