A father and son from Uniondale in the Little Karoo in the Western Cape, aged 54 and 24, appeared in the local magistrate’s court on Wednesday on a charge of assault with the intent to commit grievous bodily harm.

This follows after an incident on Tuesday where a farm worker, Johan Plaatjies (38), was assaulted, allegedly by both men, in a shed on the fruit farm where he works.

Southern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Chris Spies says it is alleged the three men had an argument before the assault. “The victim sustained injuries to the head and was taken to hospital for medical care,” he adds.

Spies explains the duo were remanded in custody and the case postponed for a formal bail application on January 31.

According to Plaatjies, the argument was about unwillingness to work over weekends.

“We had a deal that they would give us our rent money back if we work a weekend. They did not keep to their part of the bargain, and I refused to work the weekend,” explains Plaatjies.

“We were a group of workers in the shed, so the incident was witnessed. The son started punching me, whereafter his dad jumped [on] me from behind. The son kept punching my face and the dad head banged me on the forehead.”

Plaatjies was discharged from hospital yesterday, but will have to undergo an eye operation in Cape Town at Groote Schuur. “They broke one of the bones under my eye,” he claims.