Etzebeth still faces court
RACE ROW: ASSAULT, ABUSE OF HOMELESS MAN
South Africa’s rights watchdog yesterday said it will take legal action against Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth, who faces allegations of assaulting and racially abusing a homeless man just before the World Cup.
In a statement, the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said it “will institute legal proceedings against Eben Etzebeth in the Equality Court” tomorrow.
Etzebeth, 27, allegedly insulted, assaulted and pointed a gun at a 42-yearold homeless man in Langebaan, about 120km north of Cape Town, in August.
Etzebeth was named in SA’s squad for the World Cup in Japan a day after the allegations surfaced on social media.
The 78-cap lock was interviewed by Human Rights Commission officials before flying out with the squad.
He denied the allegations.
The commission said it would meet the complainant today to take further instructions.
“We will definitely ask for monetary compensation, we will ask for a public apology, we will ask for criminal prosecution of Mr Etzebeth, we will ask for community service and other forms of relief,” Buang Jones, acting head of legal services at SAHRC, said.
The commission will also hold a public meeting today. “The community are demanding justice, so we are going to give them a platform to ventilate,” said Jones.
He also said the commission will ask the police to look into claims of bias against a police officer who initially investigated the matter. – AFP