Two in court after PMB man assaulted for allegedly stealing his boss car and money claiming he wasn't paid

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Published Oct 22, 2021

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Durban: Two people have been arrested after a Pietermaritzburg man was assaulted for allegedly crashing his boss's vehicle following a wage dispute.

Ridwaan Mahomed, 40, of Bombay Road in Northdale was allegedly kicked and beaten with batons and guns after he sped off in his boss's vehicle with money that was meant to be given to his employer’s wife.

The father of three, who worked as a driver for a car sales company in the city centre, said on June 19, his employer failed to pay him his weekly wage of R1000.

Mahomed said he was given a food parcel in lieu of his wages with an excuse that the company was struggling as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"How can I pay my bills with a food parcel. I needed that money to pay my landlord and to support my family."

He said a few hours later his employer allegedly handed him R1070 and car keys to drop off the money for his wife in Mountain Rise.

Mahomed said he took one of the company vehicles and left. While on the road he called his employer to say he would be taking the R1000 as his wages. He claims to have told his boss that he could pick up the remaining R70 and the company vehicle from his home.

"I told him I will take the money and leave the job. He started swearing at me. I cut the call and security vehicles started chasing me.

"They began shooting at the vehicle and the tyres to try to stop the vehicle. I became scared at that point. I thought that if I stopped the vehicle, they would kill me, so I continued driving.

In a video of the incident, a security officer can be heard saying: "We are chasing him, he is smashing everybody. Two tyres are bust on the vehicle and he is driving on the rim...all the vehicles he smashed on the way are chasing him to try and get justice. He took the vehicle without permission and the vehicle is badly damaged."

Mahomed eventually stopped after crashing into a vehicle that had blocked the road. He claimed while in the vehicle he was hit with the butt of a gun then allegedly pulled out of the vehicle and beaten.

"There were between 20 to 30 people that were kicking me, hitting me with batons and with the back end of guns.

"There were times when I blacked out and when I came to I could hear people screaming, 'leave him, leave him', all I could see was blood."

In another video, Mahomed is seen lying on the floor with his hands fastened with cable ties.

A man is heard screaming: "Why didn't you stop? For what were you scared. All the people in the road you missed to kill."

He said if the emergency services had not arrived, he would have died.

Mahomed said he spent two weeks at Northdale Hospital, having suffered multiple broken bones and a head injury.

"I received metal plating on the right-hand side of my body. I got stitches, staples. My hip is shattered and my right leg is broken."

He said once discharged from the hospital, he went to the police station where he opened a case of assault.

"It's been so hard for us, financially and emotionally. Apart from not having food on the table, I don't know if I will ever be able to walk again."

Mahomed said a detective called him on Friday to tell him that he would be needed to be in court on October 20, where a settlement would be offered.

Mahomed's employer was contacted for comment but declined and requested we contact his attorney Ashraf Mahomed who responded: "We are unable to comment as the matter is currently sitting in court."

Captain Nqobile Gwala, spokesperson for KZN SAPS confirmed that a case of assault GBH is being investigated by Mountain Rise SAPS.

"It is alleged by the complainant that on 19 June 2021 at 11:00, he was chased by an unknown vehicle from Willowton Road and he drove towards Bombay Road where he collided with another vehicle. The suspects alighted from the vehicle and assaulted him with a gun. Two suspects aged 27 and 38 were placed under arrest. They appeared in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrates’ Court.“

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