Carlo Petersen
A YOUNG city gardener’s trip to work came to a violent end when he was sjambokked in broad daylight by a motorist – who at first attempted to knock him down yesterday.
Muhammed Makungwa, 22, was taken to hospital for head wounds and bruises to his body.
Police confirmed the incident took place in Palmyra Road, Claremont, just before 7am and they are now looking for the driver of a white BMW X5.
Makungwa, a Malawian, said his attacker confronted him as he was making his way to do some gardening work in Rondebosch.
“I got out of a taxi in Main Road and was running to work down Palmyra Road because I was late. Someone in a car started shouting at me, but I don’t understand English very well and could not understand what he was saying.
“I kept on running and he then tried to drive his car into me. I stopped and he got out and started whipping me with a sjambok. He just went crazy and didn’t give me a chance to explain myself,” he said.
It was only after his lunch box fell out of his hand that his attacker stopped hitting him, he said.
“He was shouting at me and I could make out that he thought I had broken into his car. I tried to explain to him that I was on my way to work, but he just kept on hitting me. My lunch box fell as he was whipping me and that’s when he stopped. He then asked me where I worked and after I told him he took me to (my) employers,” he said.
Makungwa, who was treated at Omnicare Family Health Centre in Lansdowne, des-cribed his attacker as a white man in his fifties. “I’m very upset… Why would someone just start hitting another person? I was happy living in Cape Town, but this attack has made me scared for my life,” said Makungwa, who left his home country four months ago and now lives in Samora Machel in Philippi.
Makungwa’s employer, Nadia Kamies, of Mayfield Avenue, Rondebosch, said the incident had left her fuming.
“The man brought Muhammed to us and claimed that he was giving him a chance, which was an excuse obviously since he must |have realised his mistake. Muhammed was neatly dressed… He was carrying his lunch, We have reported it to the police. Unfortunately we did not take the man’s name, but we have him and his car on camera,” she said.
Oscar Namata, 39, also employed by Kamies, said: “The wound on his head is very deep. He also has a gash on his left shoulder and his knees are bruised.”
Police spokesman Frederick van Wyk confirmed an incident of assault is being investigated. “We can confirm a 22-year-old Malawian man was allegedly attacked by a suspect driving a BMW X5 at 6.45am today.
“The victim was nearly knocked down and then allegedly beaten with a sjambok. We are appealing to the public to come forward with any information about the incident,” Van Wyk said.
Anyone with info can call CrimeStop at 08600 10111 or SMS Crimeline at 32211.
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