Road rage attack puts Joburg man, 83, in hospital
THE MOTORIST who beat up an 83-year-old man, leaving him for dead after a minor accident, “ranted and swore” before hitting his victim without provocation and then leaving the scene.
These details emerged on Monday when the elderly Joburg businessman, Ismail Parak, was able to speak about the trauma which left him with broken ribs and a fractured jaw.
The incident unfolded in Inanda Road in Durban near the N2 bridge on Friday night.
To make matters worse, the police have sent the victim’s family from pillar to post as they try to get a case number.
They have been to the Newlands, Greenwood Park and Sydenham police stations, but policemen at all three said it was out of their jurisdiction.
Parak’s son Faizal said the police also refused to take a statement from a 14-year-old boy who was with Parak and who had taken down details of the motorist’s vehicle.
“Right at the onset we lost hope. The police said they could not take a statement from the 14-year-old because he was a minor.
“They had the suspect’s details, but we’re waiting for my father to recover before making an arrest. Two policemen took a statement from us in hospital.
“They said the statement would be transferred to another station. We still do not have a case number. Tomorrow the suspect could do this to someone else,” he said.
Speaking from his bed in Shifa Private Hospital in Sydenham, Parak said a Nissan bakkie had overtaken him on the left, where there was no space to do so.
He had been turning right to join the N2 onramp to Umgeni Road when the vehicles bumped into each another.
Parak had been travelling in his friend’s Renault Megane with the boy, a relative.
“The other motorist started arguing and swearing, insisting that I was wrong. When I got out of the car, I asked for his details. I asked him why he was swearing at me. I checked the damage.
“I ignored him because of his ranting and tried calling the police from my cellphone. He caught me unawares with a punch to the face. I only remember waking up in hospi- tal in pain and shock,” Parak said.
Faizal said the child had intervened and asked the motorist why he was beating up an old man. The boy then took down the number plate and description of the vehicle.
Other motorists, witnessing what was happening, stopped to assist.
The driver got into his bakkie and sped off. Parak’s car had a slight paint scrape on the front right bumper.
“Witnesses said the man went ballistic. You can see the results of the beating he handed my father,” Faizal said.