JOHANNESBURG - Charges will be laid with the police after a Tshwane University of Technology football coach was severely assaulted, allegedly by the opposition team and its supporters, over the weekend.
Bushy Moloi said it was supposed to be a relaxed Saturday afternoon of enjoying the beautiful game. However, the day ended with him being stabbed four times.
Moloi said it started when he witnessed a couple of his players fighting with their opponents, Barcelona FC, at Capital Park shortly before the final whistle signalled the end of the game.
Moloi said as soon as he arrived, the players moved away from each other. However, the players from the opposition team started assaulting him with bottles and what he believed to be a knife.
“When I tried to stand up, they would attack me all over again. It seemed as though they had the intention to hurt or even kill me.
“Some of my players eventually saw what was happening and tried to help me, but by then they had already stabbed me numerous times,” he said.
Moloi said he sustained cuts to his head, face, chest and back during the attack.
“At some point I thought my nose was broken because I was bleeding so much and couldn’t even breathe through my nose because of the swelling.”
Moloi said while he was only trying to calm down everyone, the Barcelona players and supporters appeared intent on causing him harm.
The coach said he had every intention to lay charges against the team because he did not believe his actions necessitated a brutal attack on him.
He said he believed the team was desperate to score points despite the game ending in a goalless draw.
“Normally after a game teams shake hands to show that there were no hard feelings, but it was difficult to do so after this game because of the callous actions of a few players.”
TUT spokesperson Willa de Ruyter said the university was shocked by the assault on the coach and condemned the acts of violence.
“He was assaulted and badly injured by opposition team officials and supporters after intervening in the assault of another manager, following the SAB League match.”
TUT director of sport and recreation Shadrack Nthangeni said: “This kind of behaviour by supporters and club administrators is totally unacceptable. Charges will be laid against the perpetrators of the assault."