Cape Town - Springbok rugby player Schalk Burger’s father is set to stand trial for allegedly calling a woman a “h*tn*t”.
Schalk Burger Snr and his alleged victim met with prosecutors at the Paarl Magistrate's Court on Friday, where they were told the matter would be going to court.
The wine farmer allegedly called the non-paying tenant a “h*tn*t” and cut off her water supply in July last year.
Anneline Arendse, 39, is the wife of a farmworker who was fired by Burger after he was accused of ramming a hole into a fence on Burger’s wine estate, Welbedacht, in Wellington.
Arendse and Burger consulted with State prosecutor Nathan Johnson behind closed doors on Friday.
She opened a case of crimen injuria at Wellington police station in July.
She said at the time: “(Burger) claims he saw me wearing rollers and a pink gown climbing over the wall and tampering with the (broken water) pump.
“He said: 'Dit is die dikgat antie, die h*tn*t wat dit gedoen het'.” (It's the fat-bummed auntie, the h*tn*t who dit it).
On Friday, after her hearing with Johnson, Arendse said she and Alvina Abrahams, the vice-president of the Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (Icosa), would be applying for an interdict against Burger, claiming he still victimises her by not allowing her to buy electricity.
“I cannot buy in the dorp because the electricity must come from him.”
She is happy that the wheels of justice are finally turning.
“I was called by the prosecutor for consultation. They say we have a case and they will be proceeding with it
“I am happy it has reached this stage because I am sick, suffering from depression, and I am on medication because I keep hearing the words he calls me.”
Alvina said this was a victory for farmworkers, after they'd had several previous run-ins with Burger.
Earlier this year another former worker, Johannes Bitterhout, opened a case of attempted murder against Burger after he allegedly rammed him with his quadbike.
Bitterhout was left with bruises, but Burger’s lawyer, Fanie le Roux, claims he was drunk and had fallen.
Burger banned Alvina from his farm after she went on Facebook and called on workers to boycott him.
“This is a victory because for 10 years, persons living on that farm made cases against Burger but nothing happened. Today we brought him to court,” said Alvina.
Outside court, Burger tried to dodge the media.
The Daily Voice caught up with him, and when asked about the case, he answered evasively: “There is no case.”
Burger has denied all the allegations against him. He also claimed he never cut off the water supply but was merely fixing the broken water pump.
He also said he was in the process of evicting Alvina and others who had been “free-loading” on his farm for years.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Eric Ntabazalila promised to confirm on Monday whether the case would go ahead.
Daily Voice