UPDATE: Woman assaulted in i’langa Mall parking area
"I want to thank the car guards at the mall. They saved my life. He could have killed me."
MBOMBELA – The assault of a woman by a man after an alleged accident in the i’langa Mall parking area on Monday was caught on camera.
Zandile Philson, who is currently on maternity leave with a three-month-old baby, said she was in her vehicle when the man 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’s 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.”
WATCH VIDEO HERE: Man assaults woman in i’langa Mall parking area
“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.”
“I want to thank the car guards at the mall. They saved my life. He could have killed me.”
While this was transpiring the man’s daughter had allegedly witnessed the incident and ran to fetch her mother.
Philson said she had gone to the doctor after the incident and had 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.”
Sandi Human, general manager of i’langa Mall, pointed out that it was an isolated incident.
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“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.
“The victim thanked us for our assistance, and 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.
“The case goes to the prosecutor for a decision. After this, if he decides to charge the man, he gets summoned to appear in court.”
Only in cases of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm does a suspect get immediately arrested, he added.
