No arrests after assault incidents

MBOMBELA – Frustrations mount as the police seemingly refuse to act on reports of common assault cases.

This came to light after the alleged assault of Zandile Philson by a man in the i’langa Mall parking area on Monday was caught on camera. The man has publicly been identified as Riaan le Grange.

Philson, who is on maternity leave with a three-month-old baby, said she was frustrated as the man in question had not been arrested.

WATCH HERE: Man assaults woman in I’langa Mall parking area

She had been alone in her vehicle when he allegedly bumped her car.

“I got out of my vehicle and went to check what had happened. This man, who was with his small daughter, came up to me and started shouting at me and telling me it is my fault and I cannot park properly.”

She said the man became verbally abusive, so she got back into her vehicle. “He was very aggressive and started swearing at me in Afrikaans.”

“He walked up to my car and started assaulting me. Where was I supposed to run? He had me trapped. He grabbed my fingers and it felt like he had broken them. They are still swollen and bruised.”

READ MORE HERE: UPDATE: Woman assaulted in i’langa Mall parking area

While this was transpiring, his daughter, who had witnessed the incident, ran to fetch her mother.

Philson said she had gone to the doctor after the incident, and also opened a case with the police.

“During the talk with this couple, they accused my husband of threatening them afterwards. They had recorded him talking to them, but the police could not find any threats on the recording.

“I want to thank the car guards at the mall. They saved my life. He could have killed me.”

Sandi Human, general manager of i’langa Mall, pointed out that it was an isolated incident.

“The mall does not tolerate any form of bad behaviour and strongly disapproves of violence. Our security and operational managers were on the scene immediately. Our car guards also assisted her and managed to diffuse the situation quickly.

“Mall management will continue to assist her however it is needed,” she said.

Nelspruit police spokesman, Capt Dawie Pretorius confirmed that a case had been opened. He said the suspect was not arrested, as it was a common assault case.

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He explained that only in cases of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH), is a suspect immediately arrested. “The case has to go to the prosecutor for a decision. After this, if he decides to charge the suspect, he gets summoned to appear in court.”

Pretorius explained that assault GBH meant a person had visible physical injuries from the incident. “A person does not necessarily have to be in ICU in hospital for it to apply.”

He added that common assault could also mean a person using their fists or open hands or a verbal threat. “If someone punches you hard to the point you have bruising or swollen eyes, then it becomes assault GBH.”

The latest crime statistics, released last week, showed that Nelspruit Police Station had 405 cases of common assault reported to it in 2017. A total of 235 cases of assault GBH were opened.

In another incident on September 11, Donovan Raubenheimer, was allegedly assaulted by his ex-wife’s husband during a night out on the town. He also claimed he has had no joy from police. The case was opened at the Nelspruit Police Station on September 13.

An argument broke out between himself and the man which, he claimed, ended in his assault.

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Raubenheimer provided video evidence to the police. He subsequently received a case number as well as a SMS on his phone which informed him that an investigating officer was assigned to the matter.

“They told me that I must return to the station two weeks later after I failed to receive any updates on the progression of my case from the officer.”

Since then, Raubenheimer has spoken to numerous high-ranking officials at the police station, who have promised that they would get back to him. Raubenheimer said he had heard nothing since.

For the last three weeks, Lowvelder had continuously tried to obtain comment from Pretorius about Raubenheimer’s case, to no avail.

As of going to press, Le Grange had failed to respond to repeated attempts to contact him via SMS and telephone calls by Lowvelder.