Johannesburg - The 22-year-old man who allegedly attacked a motorist with an axe during an apparent road-rage incident faces an additional charge of malicious damage to property.
Nicholas Gale was initially charged with assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm after he allegedly attacked 30-year-old Mandla* with an axe on Saturday.
However, when he appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday, the charge of malicious damage to property had been added for allegedly smashing Mandla’s car with the axe and damaging it.
His case was postponed for a bail application and he was remanded in custody.
Mandla said the trouble started when he changed lanes on Malibongwe Drive and Gale, who was driving behind him, hooted, swore and showed him the middle finger.
“I ignored him, but he overtook me and got into the lane next to me, and as my window was open, he started swearing at me saying ‘what the f*** are you doing?’ and ‘you should learn how to drive’. He showed me the middle finger and I showed him the middle finger back. He kept swearing at me.”
Mandla said he had stopped at the next traffic light when he saw Gale get out of his car with an axe. He hit Mandla’s window several times with the axe.
“I had glass all over my face from the shattered window. He started swinging the axe inside the car, trying to hit me, screaming and swearing at me.
“I was busy ducking from the blows of the axe when he hit me on my arm. I tried to flee but I got into reverse gear and hit his car. He then lost it and started attacking my car with his axe.”
Mandla fled and the man gave chase, stopping his car in front of Mandla’s just before the Beyers Naudé on-ramp.
“He hit me on my head twice and I started bleeding. But I managed to grab the axe and throw it to the ground. I held him in a tight grip and started hitting him.”
Paramedics were called and Mandla was taken to hospital. When he went to the police station later to lay a charge, he saw Gale, who was there apparently to make an accident report.
Gale was then arrested.
* Not his real name.
The Star