The family of a 15-year-old boy, who was filmed bleeding and having a seizure after he was attacked by skollies, says he is alive.
The video went viral on Facebook and mense claimed the boy had passed away.
Darren Brinkhuis was stabbed in the head and beaten with bricks by a gang in Mitchells Plain and his ouma says doctors are now performing brain scans on him.
Darren, who is in Grade 8 at Tafelsig High School, was admitted to Groote Schuur Hospital on Monday after he was attacked by members of the Spoilt Brat gang on a veldjie between Olifantshoek and Pakhuis streets in Tafelsig.
Yesterday, Darren’s ouma, Charlotte Brinkhuis, 67, confirmed he is alive and being treated in hospital.
Darren Brinkhuis, who had a seizure after the attack, was helped my unknown woman. Picture: Facebook video
The video, which is nearly two minutes long, shows a group of children screaming and running across a park.
“Waar is daai laaitie?’’ one shouts.
Another says: “Kom my ma se ****, daar het hulle vir Darren.”
The bleeding boy is seen lying at the gate in the arms of a female resident who is holding up his head.
Someone is sent to fetch his family and a girl is heard saying the skollies were “onnodig” to attack Darren.
SCENE: Darren was knifed by boys in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain
Charlotte says her grandson is not a gangster, but a good boy who is doing extra lessons to improve his schoolwork.
“We do not know why they hit him,” she explains.
“We know he was at the shop with a friend and then the stone throwing started. They also stabbed him in the head and threw a slab against his head.
“He isn’t a gangster and people must stop saying that he has passed away and make up their own stories.”
The ouma says they have not left his hospital bed: “He was under observation for 24 hours and now they are conducting brain scans to see if he has another seizure.
“He is not brain dead like people are saying.”
HOSPITAL VIGIL: Charlotte Brinkhuis
The granny and an aunt say Darren is a good child who didn’t deserve to be attacked, but hopes the video will serve as a warning for children.
“He attends classes on a Saturday and he is a good child, everyone loves him here,” explains the aunt.
“We are glad someone made a video so it can be an eye-opener for all the children. We are also thankful for the lady who helped Darren, who kept up his head, as he could have died.”
The ouma says they have not yet open a case with the police.