Witbank man hurt in ‘race’ assault

Friend recounts incident that left 21-year-old in hospital with head injuries

A21-YEAR-OLD Witbank man is recovering in a Pretoria hospital after a beating‚ allegedly by a white man who did not approve of his interracial friendships. Facebook post about the incident‚ written by one of Mthunzi Sibuyi’s friends, has gone viral on social media.

Sibuyi’s friend alleged they were provoked by a white man and his three sons as they attended a 21st birthday party at a popular pub in Witbank in Mpumalanga.

“These folks were also there getting drunk‚ provoking us and making racist remarks because our friendship group is large and very racially diverse,” the friend wrote on Facebook.

“When the old man saw our black friend, Mthunzi Sibuyi, dancing with a white girl he made remarks about k***ers getting comfortable with the white girls!

“He and his sons kept on pushing us around on the dance floor and being unnecessary [sic] 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.”

The group of friends then gathered outside to say their goodbyes.

“When this fellow realised we were leaving, he proceeded to try to follow us out and at the door, without any provocation from any of us, he [allegedly] took a cheap shot and assaulted Mthunzi and then Mthunzi fell and hit his head on the concrete,” he wrote.

“He is currently in ICU with bleeding on the brain.” A scuffle between Sibuyi’s friends and the man then broke out, with security guards pulling them apart.

“At this point, all his sons came outside with his wife. They got in their car and wanted to drive away when [the man] [allegedly] attempted to drive over one of our friends‚ Yasin Yildirim‚” the friend wrote.

Sibuyi’s uncle‚ Mandla Mabuza‚ said he was shocked to hear of the attack.

“At around 12.40am‚ I got a call from the Cosmos Hospital‚ saying that my ‘son’ was seriously injured and was being transferred to Unitas Hospital in Pretoria‚” he said.

Mabuza rushed to the hospital and followed the ambulance to Pretoria.

“We got to Pretoria after 2am and they tried to stabilise him until around 6am.

“The scans indicated that he had a fracture and a clot on his brain and internal bleeding,” he said.

Mabuza said he was struggling to understand what his late brother’s son could have done to deserve the attack.

“I know how he conducts himself. He would not have aggravated an elderly person,” he said.

“He doesn’t see colour. He sees white people as people and has grown up having them as friends.

“Luckily, he is now out of the woods. “Initially, he was in the ICU but was transferred to the high care unit.”

Mabuza has laid a criminal complaint on his nephew’s behalf.

Sergeant David Ratau, from the Witbank police station, said they had not yet charged anyone over the incident.

“He said he would hand himself over with his lawyer‚” Ratau said.