Johannesburg - A Joburg man who was attacked with an axe during a road rage incident more than two years ago (November 11, 2014) is yet to get justice and feels let down by the system.
First 32-year-old *Mandla battled to get his attacker arrested - the same man paramedics had prioritised over a bleeding Mandla at the scene, despite the fact that the alleged attacker was not hurt.
Once the man, Nicholas Gale, was arrested, the docket went missing, and Mandla was told later that his matter had been struck off the roll as key statements had disappeared with the file.
Now Mandla, who was finally looking forward to getting justice, has just been dealt another blow - his case has now been registered as an inquest docket despite the fact that no one died in the attack.
Mandla said he recently got a call from the investigating officer handling his case telling him that the Randburg Magistrate’s Court now wants to open an inquest case.
It is believed that the prosecutor in the matter is the one who decided on the inquest and that the senior public prosecutor was also surprised when he got that information from the investigating officer.
“I am really not shocked because in the past the docket got lost a number of times. It’s as if no one wants that guy (his attacker) to stand trial. They are probably hoping that I will be helpless and then stop with the case. The truth is this is exhausting, but I will not let this case go,” said the man, who wishes to keep his identity anonymous for professional reasons.
Mandla said this latest twist to his case comes after he had patiently been waiting since November 2014 for his matter to go to court, by giving both the police and National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) space to deal with the matter without any interference.
NPA spokeswoman Phindi Louw did not state what charges Mandla’s attacker was facing, if any, and whether it was true that Mandla’s case has been turned into an inquest as alleged.
“We cannot divulge the charges preferred against the accused at this stage, as the accused is not yet notified by way of a summons. I am still waiting to find out if there is another docket that was referred for an inquest,” she said.
Mandla’s case stems from an incident on November 11, 2014 on Malibongwe Drive in Randburg when he got into an altercation with another motorist.
The motorist is alleged to have then hit him with an axe, also bashing his car, after verbally abusing him.
When paramedics arrived at the scene, they ignored a bleeding Mandla, focusing their attention at Gale, who was unhurt.
Afterwards, two Netcare 911 paramedics told their superiors they had left without helping Mandla because the bystanders had threatened to kill them.
However, a video later surfaced and contradicted their claim.
They were suspended, and one was later dismissed.
Gale was arrested and charged with assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and malicious damage to property.
However, he laid a counter charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm against Mandla. There has been no progress in that case either.
The investigating officer in Mandla’s case then resigned. The second one was later removed from the case for allegedly shouting at Mandla when he asked about his case's progress. Mandla later found out that the docket had been lost, but was later recovered. However, some statements inside were missing and the case was then struck from the court roll.
*Not his real name
The Star