Medical parolee Schabir Shaik on Sunday hit out at newspaper reports that he had assaulted a man at a mosque in Durban, saying that what had been published were “half-truths”.
It is alleged that Shaik had come to blows with the man after Friday prayers at the Masjid Al-Hilal in Overport after the man, who was apparently in a hurry to get to his gravely ill daughter, hooted at him for parking in his way.
However, on Sunday Shaik tried to downplay the incident, calling the fellow worshipper a “big fat fellow”, but did not deny that he had pummelled him with his fists.
He said the man had no facial injuries to show for the alleged assault and that he had made out as if Shaik was “a raving lunatic who had come out of prayers”.
Shaik described the man as being “beside himself” and that The Mercury should call him later to arrange a meeting about the incident. However, he did not answer his phone after that.
It was the second allegation of assault against him after he aleegedly choked and slapped Sunday Tribune reporter Amanda Khoza at a golf course about two weeks ago. On Sunday, police spokeswoman Brigadier Phindile Radebe said they were investigating the first incident, but had no knowledge that a second alleged assault had taken place. The head of the correctional services portfolio committee, Vincent Smith, said he would be able to respond on Monday.
Shaik, who was convicted of fraud and corruption and sentenced to 15 years in jail, was released from the Westville Prison on medical parole in March 2009. - The Mercury