Johannesburg -
The bullies swarm around the lone schoolboy, there is a melee, then he is knocked unconscious and falls to the ground.
The incident – which has been caught on camera – reportedly took place at a party last Friday on an estate in Glen Erasmia, Kempton Park.
The boy, who turned 16 on Thursday, spent two nights in the intensive care unit of the Arwyp Medical Centre and was discharged on Sunday morning.
The cellphone footage has since gone viral.
Kempton Park police are investigating a case of common assault. The attack on the teen, who cannot be named because he is a minor, was reportedly unprovoked.
He was hit on the left jaw and neck, affecting the nerve.
Police spokesman Captain Jethro Mtshali said more than eight assailants were allegedly involved.
The Star understands that the alleged bully had recently attacked another child at school and was expelled.
The Glen Erasmia attack was the assailant’s fifth incident.
The victim’s mother said she had tried to meet with the alleged attacker and his parents on Wednesday night.
“They gave us the runaround, claiming he was not home, but in Benoni with his mother. All I needed to know was what happened,” she said.
When the two families met, according to the victim’s mother, the alleged assailant’s family tried to keep him away.
“The family apologised, saying they were trying to protect him,” the woman added.
The 14-second video footage shows the boy falling to the ground immediately after a punch was thrown.
The bully and his accomplices, some of whom captured the incident on camera, looked the victim over.
Some in the group of attackers are seen carrying batons.
The victim said he regained consciousness two hours later.
On Thursday, the boy said he was attacked barely 10 minutes after he had arrived at the party.
His primary school friends had invited him to the party.
He said his friends happened to also be friends with the alleged bully’s friends, whom he met only on the day of the incident.
The teen said he had arrived at the party at about 2pm, and exchanged greetings with a friend.
Suddenly, they were surrounded and hemmed in by the bully and some other boys.
“When they came towards us, I turned to my right, trying to have a word with my other two friends who stood next to me.
It was then that I felt a punch in my face,” he said.
On Saturday, the teenager’s girlfriend asked the alleged bully’s friends what had sparked the incident.
One wrote in a BBM message: “Aiiii leave him coz his ganna get more s**t soon”.
The other text sent to her reads: “He must watch his mouth the next time he threatens me. And you should be angry with him cuz he went to that party to see a girl”.
The boy’s mother said: “His (the alleged bully’s) actions left us traumatised. He cannot get away with this as it could have been worse,” the mother added.
The Star