‘Wanneer kan jy my n**i?’

A KNYSNA mother felt let down by the justice system after a Knysna DA member received what she said was a slap on the wrist for his sexual remarks towards her teenage daughter.

The woman said her 17-year-old was volunteering at a DA registration event at the Hornlee Civic Centre earlier this year when Bjorn Oria said loudly to her, “Wanneer kan jy my n**i?” (When are you going to f**k me?)

The girl said she was embarrassed as everyone heard the comment.

“I got strange looks from people, and my mother was there, so I went over to her to tell her. I am very uncomfortable around him.”

Her mother said it was not the first time her daughter had reported Oria making crude comments to her.

“I was very upset and decided to go to the police,” she said, adding that she followed up the case with the police, and in August she heard that Oria had been given a fine.

“I was so shocked to hear that the fine was just R100. It makes me sick that nothing serious is being done about this. What kind of message are they sending out?” she said.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the Knysna Magistrate’s Court had determined that from January 1, 2010, an amount of R150 be fixed for crimen injuria cases, except in cases where the offence was of a racist nature.

“In this matter, the SAPS fixed an amount of R150 admission of guilt fine. The accused elected to pay the fine after the prosecutor had reduced the amount to R100.

“He pleaded with the prosecutor that he didn’t have enough money and requested that it be reduced.”

Oria declined to comment and said he was going to consult with his lawyer and release a press statement.

“I am not going to comment, and it’s not that I am afraid. I am meeting with my lawyer, and from there he will be releasing a press statement.”