*Article has been edited
WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS VIOLENCE AND STRONG LANGUAGE
Cape Town – Footage has gone viral, showing a violent attack on David Manuel, the reportedly reformed gangster famed for his role as “Gums” in South Africa's Oscar submission, Noem My Skollie.
Publicly posted on Monday night on Facebook with the caption, "Ja oupel. Hop sal j hop. Lmklaaaaaa werk jou skrif. #noemmyskollie” [sic], the video has received over 82 000 views and more than 5 300 shares.
In it, it appears to be the person holding the cellphone who is also hitting and verbally assaulting Manuel. Another man in a white jersey holding a can of Coca-Cola – it is unclear if he is a minor – is also seen hitting Manuel as he defends the movie which he correctly states is not about one of the Western Cape's most violent and destructive gangs, the 28s.a
The group of men – at least 10 of them – continue assaulting Manuel in broad daylight.
While the video has gone viral, the feedback on the original post has been largely castigating.
WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS VIOLENCE AND STRONG LANGUAGE
User Nurjaan Williams wrote, "Stupid the man was acting in a movie. 10 people on one guy what does that say about them .. [sic]".
Another, Kelvin Simons posted: "Is this what you get for playing your role?", while user Arthur Phooko said, "Shows u how f**n coward they are... 20 guys against one... and this for the man playing a role in a movies [sic].
Another Facebook user Aniqah Abrahams also added her voice saying, "This is beyond me honestly and disgusting. This movie is based on what happened to someone, no fabrication took place but then as per usual you always find ill educated ones amongst the lot and this is what happens. Seriously though? You disgusting for uploading this video. What isn't clear about the word 'movie' you flippen wannabe gangsters :/ sies I wouldn't even want to be proud of being a gangster [sic]".
Others have defended the posting of the video and the perpetrators’ actions citing reasons such as Manuel’s previous actions, his portrayal of a gang boss in the movie, “disrespecting the number”, and the expected behaviour of the gang.
John W Fredericks, the 71-year-old writer of the biopic who has spent the last few years telling his story and empowering youth around the Western Cape, deterring them from gangs, added his comment. In it, he responded to the alleged anger by gang members due to a spotlight on their activity.
In it, Fredericks makes clear that the film was screened for three days at Pollsmoor Prison prior to its release. Fredericks said this was to test the waters in the place he identifies as the start of his storytelling journey.
“There were members of the prison gangs present. Some of them high in the hierarchy of the Number. Many of them were in tears," he wrote in a Facebook response.