Irate bus passenger films ‘assault’
AFTER Dean Layman’s family accompanied him to the Intercape bus station in Bellville on Saturday, they wished him a safe journey. But he didn’t make it out of the station before allegedly being assaulted by Intercape staff.
Layman, who had booked a trip with Intercape to Bloemfontein, said he arrived at the station at 5.10pm for his bus, which was scheduled to leave at 5.45pm. Despite being early, he said the driver shouted at him to board the bus while he was speaking to his family members outside.
When he questioned why he was being treated rudely, he was refused entry on the bus.
“The driver shouted at me in Xhosa in a rude manner to get on the bus, and I was talking to my mother. I told him that he didn’t have to shout at me like that. The co-driver told me they leave early, pointing her finger in my face.
“I said that was rude, then the driver told her to not let me on the bus. I wasn’t rude or intoxicated and I didn’t damage anything on the bus. I felt like there was no remedy, so I decided to record a video,” said Layman.
Layman recorded the bus driver and staff on the Intercape bus. In the video, an Intercape staff member, identified as the co-driver by Layman, pushes him away.
Layman said the co-driver pushed him and then struck his arm, before punching his phone, which is now cracked. Layman consequently laid a charge of assault with the Bellville SAPS against the co-driver.
“I was outraged. Why would they treat people like that? They gave me a refund and told me to lodge a complaint with their complaints department. It’s a massive inconvenience.
“I’m a businessman and I had to postpone meetings. It was also my grandfather’s birthday and I wanted to be there. I lost the money I paid for accommodation on Sunday,” said Layman.
Intercape responded to an enquiry about the incident by saying the company had been informed of the allegations and was investigating the matter.
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana confirmed that a case of assault has been opened.