A 50-year-old man is set to appear at a court in Groblersdal, Limpopo, Friday, for allegedly assaulting a 16-year-old.
UPDATE: The 50-year-old suspect’s appearance at the Groblersdal Magistrate’s Court was brief. The matter has been postponed to Friday, 24 June 2022, delaying his potential release by another seven days.
Groblersdal man hopes for bail in assault case
Social media was abuzz when video footage showed an elderly man brandishing a firearm and ferociously kicking a defenceless boy outside of an eatery in the Limpopo town.
The incident took place at the Groblersdal Game Centre on Wednesday evening and according to police, the teenage boy, who we now know as Kopano Makweng, was beaten up for simply asking for salt.
The exact merits of the incident are still unclear since the 50-year-old has yet to detail his version of events. However, the gun-wielding suspect will have greater worries to be concerned about, as he faces charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and pointing a firearm.
On Friday, the 50-year-old is set to make his first court appearance, where he’ll be expected to submit a bail application which, in all likelihood, may be granted.
Makweng, on the other hand, was rushed to a medical facility to receive treatment for non-life-threatening wounds. It’s believed the 16-year-old has recovered well.
In a statement, the EFF in Limpopo, called for the State to impose the maximum punishment available and “[send] a clear message through a harsh sentence on the perpetrator.”
“It is clear that criminals like this white racist man have no regard for the rule of law and must rot in jail. They are spitting in the face of reconciliation and democracy because they believe that they are more superior more than black people,” the statement read.
The gob-smacking attack on the teen boy was caught on camera and the footage will more than likely play a pivotal role in the assault case.
PLEASE NOTE: The video embedded below contains graphic material that may be harmful to sensitive audiences. Viewers’ discretion is strongly advised.
This white man pulled out a gun on an unarmed 16 year old, this happened recently in Groblersdal,Limpopo,South Africa
— theo (@kgabakgaba) June 15, 2022
Please retweet to raise awareness for Kopano #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/1R9PdjgTk5
