Cape Town - A farmworker whose girlfriend was allegedly assaulted by his boss, hopes justice will not fail them, as the farmer has now also threatened to evict the couple.
According to Jacqueline Jordaan, 31, the Langrietvlei farmer, from Hopefield, who has been released from police custody on warning, has fired her boyfriend, and wants them to leave the property after she lodged an assault complaint with police.
The young mother said at around 11am on Saturday, she heard the farmer shouting at her children outside because of litter in the yard.
“He blamed my children for the papers. I went outside and confronted him. My problem was his use of language to young children aged 13 and 8.
He suddenly grabbed me by the neck and pushed me inside the house where I was choked and hit in the face. My cellphone was in my right hand and in self defence I hit him with it. My boyfriend came inside and removed him from me,” said Jordaan.
She said she called the police, but when no one picked up the calls, Jordan hitch-hiked to Laaiplek police station in an attempt to open a case.
However, she said a police officer advised her to go back home and “rethink if she really wanted to register a case against the farmer”.
“He told me that I must consider the fact that my boyfriend might lose his job. When I got back home my partner told me he was fired and that the farmer wanted us to leave the property. Mr Billy Claasen advised me to go back to the police station. The case was opened on Monday after I went there again. We are hoping that the law will be on our side regarding this attempt to evict us, how my boyfriend was fired and me being assaulted,” said Jordaan.
Police spokesperson, FC van Wyk, said a 50-year-old man was arrested on Monday and detained at Hopefield police cells.
An assault case was opened at Laaiplek SAPS, and transferred to Hopefield SAPS for further investigation.
“Upon receipt of the case from Laaiplek SAPS the docket with the statement of the complainant was scrutinised and the charge was changed to assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH) regarding the injuries of the complainant. A charge of crimen injuria was also added,” said Van Wyk.
He said the man appeared in the Hopefield Magistrate’s Court where he was released on warning.
The matter was postponed to May 19.
Police did not respond to questions about Jordaan initially being turned away.
When the Capes Times called the farm, a family member said: “Our attorney has advised us not to say anything to anyone.
People have picked up the wrong story but all is in order. We are going to court and the people will tell the truth. I don’t know who gave you my number but I’m not prepared to say anything,” she said.
Rural and Farmworkers Development Organisation executive director, Billy Claasen, said he would write a letter to the West Coast district police commander, the provincial commissioner and the national commissioner.
“Farmworkers are the most vulnerable and most neglected group of people in our country.
They always receive poor service from state institutions and the police in general. The behaviour of the police officer who turned her away is uncalled for, unacceptable and needs action from higher authorities. We cannot tolerate this nonsense anymore.
“This is not the first time such things have happened. Our farmworkers cannot just be subjected to secondary victimisation at stations where the rights of some people weigh heavier than those who are poor.”
What would have happened if a farmworker assaulted a farmer's wife like that? We need to work together in order to build a safe environment going forward,” said Claasen.
Cape Times