A man who was brutally assaulted in a suspected homophobic attack now fears for his family’s safety.
Last month Gino Jonkers, 22, from Crawford was beaten in the face and choked, allegedly by a 15 and 18-year-old when he visited his uncle in Eerste River.
The beauty spa consultant said the youngsters shouted: “ Maak die moffie vrek!” during the attack.
He said he managed to escape when his attackers took a break during the savage beating.
Just over a week after his attack, Gino’s cousin Wayne Jonkers, 30, from Wesbank was also targeted in an alleged revenge attack after Gino spoke out.
Wayne Jonkers says he went to visit his brother in Blombos Street in Eerste River on Saturday when he came under attack, allegedly from the same troublemaker 15-year-old who assaulted Gino.
Wayne explains: “I was walking down the street on Friday and saw these boys sitting on the electricity box. One then said: ‘ Hulle het seker die p*** laat kom om my te moer.’
“I didn’t even know this was the boy from Gino’s story. I didn’t know about the story until I saw it in the Daily Voice and I told this boy that.”
He says the youngster then started throwing stones at him and his friend, which shattered the back window of his friend’s car.
“When we turned around to chase them, this 15-year-old boy pulled out a gun and started chasing us,” says Wayne.
“We ducked and dived. I’m from the Northern Cape and we don’t know guns, we only know about throwing stones and people stabbing each other, no guns.
“ Ek’t amper in my broek gek** want ek’t toe my dood gesien. It was only the car between us and the boy with the gun.”
Wayne says he knows the boys, and when police arrived at the scene, he was nearly arrested because he wanted to retaliate and moer the stoute laaitie.
“When police arrived they argued that they had no gun, and he even told me in the presence of police: ‘ Jy’s in jou p***’. He can be glad I live in Wesbank, far from him,” Wayne says angrily.
Wayne says he laid a charge with Kleinvlei Police station but is yet to receive a case number.
Police spokesperson, Constable Noyoliso Rwexana, has confirmed the incident and says a case of malicious damage to property is being investigated.
The 15-year-old appeared in the Blue Downs Magistrates’ Court on a charge of assault on June 24, but the 18-year-old is still at large.
Now Gino says: “I have a fear for my family living here in Eerste River as I live in Crawford.
“I don’t know what the police are doing, why is this child still roaming around?
“The police are supposed to protect us but when we need them they’re not there, they attacked my cousin and wanted to shoot him.”