Two jailed for assault on Tzaneen petrol attendant

TWO men who assaulted a petrol pump attendant in an alleged racist fit‚ when he told them that unleaded petrol at a station in Tzaneen, Limpopo, had run out‚ have been jailed for their crime.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said in a statement yesterday that it welcomed the sentences‚ in the hope it would deter “other would-be racists”.

The Tzaneen District Court sentenced Hermanus van Dyk‚ 36‚ to two years behind bars and Danie le Roux‚ 29‚ to 18 months‚ the NPA said.

They had each pleaded guilty to assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm and crimen injuria.

The incident‚ captured on CCTV footage‚ took place on June 18 when Van Dyk and Le Roux kicked the petrol attendant‚ who had tried to escape but failed.

Van Dyk and Le Roux apparently followed the man and bit him.

Another man‚ driving Van Dyk and Le Roux‚ had tried to calm the two men but was overpowered by them.

According to the NPA‚ in her judgment‚ magistrate Helen Mabuza-Mkansi said that the incident was unacceptable 22 years into democracy.

The court found that Van Dyk and Le Roux had celebrated the attack by hugging each other to say “well done”.

“They undermined the human dignity of the complainant and should be sentenced accordingly for disregarding both the constitution and the rule of law‚” Mabuza-Mkansi said.

NPA advocate Ivy Thenga said: “The occurrence of racial discrimination against any person has reached alarming proportions in our society. It is the duty of this court to stop racism by sending [the] two accused to jail.” – TMG Digital