The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) at Postmasburg in the Northern Cape is calling for the immediate arrest of a man who allegedly assaulted a petrol attendant at the local filling station.
Footage posted on social media shows a man grabbing the petrol attendant and punching him.
The petrol attendant, Ogone Saulus, says the man arrived at the filling station and started yelling insults as he got out of his car.
The CCTV footage at the garage shows a man aggressively getting out of the car and attacking a petrol attendant who kept on stepping back.
But the attacker kept on following him, punching him until he fell down. The man pulls the attendant up and continues to beat him.
The petrol attendant, Ogone Saulus, explains what happened. “On Wednesday a man arrived at the garage and started yelling insults to everyone. I approached him and asked him to calm as I will not assist him while continuing to insult people. He did not like what I said and that’s when he attacked me, he attacked me and hurt me. I don’t understand why the police are not arresting him because he hurt me.”
The EFF in the province has condemned the alleged attack, labelling it a cowardly racist attack. The party’s Labour Desk Diggah Esau says they are disappointed that the police have not yet made an arrest.
“We note the cowardice racist attack that happened where a white hooligan attacked the petrol attendant. It is clear from the video footage that is available that this was cowardice and a selfish attack on a black person. The petrol attendant can be seen not even trying to fight back and this racist was instigated purely by his race. As EFF we note this as disgrace and call for the immediate arrest of this perpetrator.”
The police say they cannot make an arrest without doing a proper investigation. “The police are investigating a common assault after a case was opened on the 20th of February 2021 at Postmasburg. The docket will be brought before the public prosecutor for the decision, police investigations continue,” says Northern Cape police spokesperson Dimakatso Mooi.
Saulus says he had a cut on his nose and a swollen face as a result of the attack. He says he wants to see the man behind bars and be compensated for the injuries he suffered.
