Blood on dance floor: DJ and girlfriend beaten up
A young man and his girlfriend were savagely beaten up outside a nightclub in the city late Saturday evening. This incident comes in the middle of the country's commemoration of 16 Days of Activism For No Violence Against Women and Children.
POLOKWANE – A young man and his girlfriend were savagely beaten up outside a nightclub in the city late Saturday evening.
This incident comes in the middle of the country’s commemoration of 16 Days of Activism For No Violence Against Women and Children.
Dries Boshoff (22), also known as DJ Joker, told Review that his girlfriend, Chantel Stevens (20) was beaten up by a group of men and women as she lay over Boshoff’s unconscious body, trying to protect him against his attackers.
Boshoff said he had just finished his job as a DJ and was packing his equipment away when he overheard a couple of men who were part of a group of men and women, talking.
They were angry over being thrown out of the club, and intended to go back inside to beat up the man who threw them out, Boshoff said.
“I told them I thought everyone should go home and enjoy what was left of their evening, and not make any trouble,” he explained.
Boshoff said one of the men put the items he had in his hand down, grabbed Boshoff by the throat without warning and started to choke him.
“Other people who were part of the group joined him and they started kicking and hitting me.
“The one man had me in a hold and I tried to signal to him to stop as I could not breathe, but I lost consciousness. I was lying on the ground, I gained consciousness several times, only to pass out again.
All this time I was being beaten. Chantel tried to stop the fight and shielded me with her body, but they just kept on, and she was also injured. I remember pleading with my attackers not to kill me,” Boshoff recalled.
Other people who had been inside the club, came to the young couple’s rescue. “I remember one of the men who had been beating me taking me to the bakkie I was driving and as soon as I was in the bakkie he hit me again saying that I would die there, and that they would not allow us to leave the place until I was dead,” Boshoff further recalled.
He said a colleague, Jacques Marais (25), came to his aid by taking the man who was still hitting him as he was in his vehicle, away. Stevens was able to drive and went straight to hospital, where they both received treatment.
“I want people in the city to be safe and people like those who attacked me to be taken off the streets, and be refused entry to the clubs. They think they can do what they please and get away with it. Club owners should also have their security and bouncers in place to ensure everyone’s safety,” Boshoff said. These animals must be locked up and remain behind bars where they belong,” he said.
Review spoke to Howick Kirstein, the owner of the nightclub. He confirmed the assault occurred outside of the pub, in the parking area.
“Nightclub owners take the necessary precautions to prevent incidents of this nature. This incident occurred in the parking area, where we have a security guard. We also have CCTV cameras.”
Kirstein concurred that it was an unfortunate, yet isolated event. “It is important to us that our patrons feel safe. People should feel welcome to come and relax in a safe environment.”
Zanru Fuchs, owner of Thirsty Cowboys, said they check IDs at the door to prevent underage drinking. “We have implemented additional security measures like hiring more security personnel. People must feel safe to go out and troublemakers will not be given the freedom to visit us,” he said.
Other club owners Review spoke to also said they would look into upgrading their security ahead of the festive seasons and that no known troublemakers would be admitted to their clubs. Polokwane police spokesperson WO Lesiba Ramoshaba confirmed that a case of assault had been opened and was being investigated.
