Video likely to nab drag-race assailants

DURBANITE Kuben Pather is grateful to be alive and to see his two-year-old son again after he was severely assaulted, seemingly by a group of drag racers, on Thursday night.

Cellphone video footage of the assault went viral, and showed Pather, 33, being kicked and beaten by at least five people while he lay on the ground trying to fend off blows. Pather opened assault charges with the police yesterday morning. Some of the people who shared the video claim to have identified at least one assailant.

“I went to Entabeni [Hospital] this morning,” Pather said yesterday. “I’m still a bit sore. I had taken blows to the head, to my back, and suffered bruising. I’ve got muscular pain.”

Footage shows Pather, driving a white Toyota Tazz, jumping a red robot while turning into Umgeni Road, a popular street for illegal drag racing in Durban, where two vehicles appeared to be racing. A second video taken shortly afterwards shows Pather being beaten.

Pather said he went through the robot “as it was turning from orange to red”, but pulled over when he was confronted by race spectators.

“These guys, they couldn’t take it like sensible gentlemen. They wanted to behave like animals. That’s the behaviour they showed. I tried talking to them but it didn’t work. They couldn’t stand one on one [against me] so the whole group came at me,” said Pather.

He urged police to act against those responsible. “Social media has done wonders because they [the perpetrators] have basically given themselves up. I didn’t have to do much. As long as it takes to get justice, I don’t mind.”

The Sunday Times has learnt that at least one of the men has been identified by his branded clothing. His name is known to the Sunday Times, but cannot be revealed. Activists wanting to help Pather say they will give the name to the investigating officer.

Wesley James Smith said he was happy his posting of the videos on Facebook ‘LIKE ANIMALS’: A screengrab, above, of the video showing Kuben Pather, left, being severely assaulted

Social media has done wonders because they have basically given themselves up

had helped. They have been viewed 132 000 times since Friday afternoon.

“Seeing the video angered me and I knew, morally, I had to do something about it,” he said. “Social media can be very dangerous or very powerful. The support and recognition the video received once it went viral will hopefully get Kuben the justice he deserves. Sometimes all it takes is one person to stand up to make a major difference.”