A Brackenfell man says he is “lucky to be alive” after he was attacked and racially abused by an angry white man.
But Mogamat Shaheed Samsodien says despite providing police with pictures of his alleged attacker, the man has not been arrested.
He says on 25 December, he was on his way to his daughter’s house for a Christmas lunch when he witnessed an accident in Jakaranda Road, Protea Heights.
“A bakkie with the bent bonnet drove into a wall,” he explains.
“I took my phone out to take photographs of the incident and this white man charged towards me and asked that I delete the pictures.”
Before he could say anything, the father of three said he was knocked out with a punch and racially abused by the man.
“He said ‘delete daai foto, jou donner’. Then he dived into my vehicle to grab my phone,” says Shaheed.
“He started choking me when I threw the phone on the passenger seat, which fell between the seat and passenger door, all the time saying ‘ek maak jou vrek, jou donnerse hotnot’.
He took a picture of the man who can be seen running towards him, pointing his finger.
Shaheed says the man was not the bakkie driver, who was treated by a private ambulance company.
“The right side of my face behind and below my ear was badly swollen for a day or two,” he says.
“I could not chew properly. The man almost killed me with his fist and no one came to my rescue.”
He opened a case with the police the same day, but says they didn’t take him seriously.
“I have provided the police with the picture of the man who attacked me, but they have not done anything. I gave the doctor’s report too that shows the extent of my injuries.
“When I said to the station commander of Brackenfell police that I’m letting the Human Rights Commission know, he said ‘OK then, let us hear from them first’. He was very cocky.”
He says he’s scared to show his face in the media as he fears a backlash from the Brackenfell community.
This after he saw reports about people who spoke out about the alleged racism at Brackenfell High School being targeted.
SAPS’ Noloyiso Rwexana said “a case of assault common is under investigation with no arrest yet”.