Race attack victim doesn’t recall much
Sibuyi discharged, cops still to arrest his known attacker
Mthunzi Sibuyi‚ the young man whose head was severely injured after being attacked in an alleged race row at the weekend‚ has trouble recalling the attack.
Yesterday, his uncle Mandla Mabuza said he had on Tuesday accompanied police to a Pretoria hospital where the young man was recovering after sustaining a head fracture‚ a clot on his brain and internal bleeding.
“The police interviewed him and he said he only remembers being inside the restaurant and he cannot recall what happened outside. He only recalls waking up in the Pretoria hospital but the police did take a statement from him.”
The 21-year-old University of Pretoria student was allegedly attacked on Saturday by a white man outside a pub in eMalahleni‚ where he and a group of interracial friends had attended a birthday party.
According to Sibuyi’s friends‚ the man and his three sons had earlier voiced their disapproval of the mixed-race group.
In a Facebook post about the incident by one of Sibuyi’s friends‚ he suggested that Sibuyi’s attacker and his sons had provoked them.
“When the old man saw our black friend … dancing with a white girl he made remarks about k ***** s getting comfortable with the white girls! Him and his sons kept on pushing us around on the dance floor and being unnecessary and sexually harassing the girls that were with us up to the point where we all decided to leave because they were making the night unpleasant for everyone.”
He claimed that Sibuyi was attacked outside the pub as the group of friends were saying their goodbyes.
“When this … fellow realised we were leaving he proceeded to try follow us out and at the door without any provocation from any of us ... he took a cheap shot and assaulted Mthunzi and then Mthunzi fell and hit his head on the concrete‚ he is currently in ICU with bleeding on the brain‚” he wrote.
On Tuesday‚ Sergeant David Ratau said that police had traced the suspect through his car registration.
The man had contacted police and indicated that he would hand himself over. He still had not done so by yesterday morning.
“We have all his information because we had his car registration. We just need to hear from the investigating officer about why he isn’t in custody yet‚” said Ratau.
The suspect is expected to face at least two charges – one of attempted murder and another of sexual harassment.
Meanwhile‚ Sibuyi was discharged from hospital on Tuesday night. “He is still a bit dizzy ... but he is back in Witbank‚” said Mabuza.