A family man never imagined that he would be lying on a cold pavement on a Saturday evening, bleeding profusely from a stab wound allegedly inflicted by a teenage girl.
Aganang radio station’s journalist, Tebogo Leping’s video was trending on Facebook this week. It showed the security personnel attending to Andries Phandle while waiting for the ambulance and the police to arrive. The angry crowd could be heard screaming profanities and baying for the blood of a couple.
According to Kelebogile Moleko, the NW police spokesperson, the incident took place outside the MooiRivier mall where a 17-year-old male was having an argument with the victim. A 16-year-old girl, a friend of the youngster, allegedly turned on Andries and stabbed him.
‘The pair were arrested and charged with assault GBH (grievous bodily harm). They were released in the care of their parents because both are minors. They appeared in the Potchefstroom Magistrates’ court on Monday,’ said Moleko.
The father of three who wants justice to be served told the Herald what had happened.
‘We were on a family outing. Later that day, I left my family at Fantasia to go and watch a soccer match at Gold Rush. When the game ended at about 17:00, I went back to fetch them and drive home.
‘When I crossed the driveway to the delivery area, a red Toyota Tazz sped past and almost hit me. I jumped out of the way. The driver stopped a few paces away and stormed out of the vehicle.
‘We had an argument and he said: ‘Ek sal jou ‘n warm klap gee. That is when we tussled as he tried to pull me to the ground…I resisted. ‘After a few moments, I took off my belt and hit him once to keep him away from me. He held the belt, grabbed me again and I lashed him with the belt again. While we were wrestling, someone came from behind and stabbed me in my spinal cord. I was in pain and bleeding profusely and I saw a young girl with a knife. I didn’t know what to do, whether to run to my car on the other side of the mall or go to my wife. Three security guards and a group of men were staring at me but no one helped. I fell down and asked someone close by to call my wife. They also called the emergency services and the police,’ he said.
Andries who has already been discharged from the hospital went for a check-up on Friday.
Photo: Tebogo Leping
The teens were aggressive
Andries was distraught after the incident. ‘I do not know what to call it. The boy and the girl were aggressive and angry. I don’t know he got such confidence and bravery to attack a grown-up man like me. I think he had the nerve to attack me because he saw his brothers standing there and wanted to show them he could beat me up,’ he said angrily.
Andries says it pains him even more because they were minors. Teenagers mugging and stabbing people also happens a lot in the townships.
Teenagers open a counter-case
The two teenagers had a completely different version to Andries’s account.
According to Warrant Officer Mpho Manyoba, the Potchefstroom police spokesperson, the teenagers have opened a counter-case of common assault. According to the driver of the vehicle, he was trying to park his vehicle at the MooiRivier Mall.
‘A man was walking where the driver intended to park. He was moving slowly and the driver of the vehicle shouted at the man to “take his time”.
‘The man allegedly approached the driver, took his belt off and started hitting him. The driver fought back with his fists and sustained cuts and bruises.’ she said.
