A Cape Town woman who was allegedly punched and knocked to the ground during a road rage scuffle, is still on a desperate quest for justice after “months of hell”.
In January last year, Leandri Spies was en route to fetch her child from school when Robert Porter was allegedly driving "like a maniac“ in Noordhoek.
Spies told Weekend Argus this week that Porter, a businessman, reportedly started to attack another female motorist verbally. She tried to intervene.
"She was scared and shocked ... I got out of my vehicle, as their vehicles were blocking the way. I told him to stop, that his driving and behaviour is unacceptable and he can hurt or kill someone. He went berserk."
Spies said that he was "swearing, pointing, screaming in my face, so close his saliva landed in my face."
Spies said she then told Porter, who refused to comment when Weekend Argus contacted him, numerous times to stop yelling and swearing.
"I also told him to stop pointing and get out of my face or I will spray him with pepper spray. It happened so fast.
“He was red in the face, angry, hostile and irrational, screaming and swearing obscenities. In the distance I could hear his wife screaming and yelling too.
"I sprayed him with the pepper spray, which I always carry in my car when walking my dog. He then punched me in the face. It took a split second and I was on the tar. I never sprayed anyone before," she said.
"My eyes were burning and I felt something warm run down my face. I got off the tar on my hands and knees and touched my face. I saw the blood. He was still yelling and swearing, still running towards me. I called the watch group ADT for assistance. I took a picture of him coming for me again. My head hurt, my jaw hurt, my hands and knees hurt, but I was frozen with fear he would hit me again," she said.
Spies, who then opened a case of assault against Porter, said she was left with "bad facial bruises, lacerations and stitches, a broken tooth, several body bruises and fear."
To date, Spies claimed, she received no apology.
"The saddest part is, I am a person who wants to help and assist a fellow female in need, but because of this, I will also drive past in future," she said.
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed that a case of assault was registered with police.
“It’s a common assault case, the complainant saw the accused scolding some other lady ... the complainant then started screaming when he wanted to assault the other lady.
“The accused approached the complainant, she sprayed him with pepper spray and then he struck her in the face. The last court appearance was March 6,” said Van Wyk.
The case will resume on April 4 in the Simon's Town Magistrate’s Court.
Spies said she went the legal route to fight for the rights of all women.
“As a mother, I never want this to happen to my kids or any other woman for that matter. The long arm of the law should embrace men who have big man mentality and think they’re entitled to assault women,” said Spies.
Spies also lodged a civil suit claim at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court against the suspect.
Her lawyer in that case, Roux Potgieter, told Weekend Argus they were demanding approximately R200 000 from the accused for the “pain, trauma and embarrassment” his client allegedly had to endure.
“We are still waiting on a trial date, this will most likely be at the end of the year ... the crime and civil cases are running parallel,” said Potgieter.
MEC for Mobility in the Western Cape Ricardo Mackenzie told Weekend Argus that he condemned the incident.
“How is it that in today’s day and age a man can still attack a female?” Mackenzie asked.
“I will follow the matter closely. I also urge motorists to refrain from getting violent on the roads,” he said.
Weekend Argus