Shoppers injured in alleged racist attack
Two shoppers were attacked by a group of approximately 15 people, in the East Rand Galleria, at around 5pm on Sunday, March 1.
Zoran Ramos (26) and Natalie Spence (28) had completed their shopping when the attack occurred inside the mall.
An altercation between the victims and another shopper started in the queue of a pay point at a Galleria store.
The shoppers – a boyfriend and girlfriend – claimed they were first verbally abused, which was allegedly racial in nature.
“The woman who had been helped before us was still standing at the till and I asked her if she could please move up a bit,” said Ramos.
The woman allegedly replied that she didn’t have to move.
“While we were packing our groceries in the trolley, she woman continued with racial remarks against us,” he added.
“To defuse the situation, we simply walked away. However, at the same time, another woman also started verbally abusing us, which resulted in an argument.
“The next moment, a mob formed and ran towards us, screaming and shouting.”
Ramos said at first a non-physical confrontation ensued, but this escalated into a full-blown assault.
According to him, he did throw the first punch, because one of the men had apparently physically confronted his girlfriend.
“After I struck him, every single person in the crowd had a bash at us,” he said, adding that there were about 15 attackers, many of whom made racial remarks while they were being beaten.
“We were punched and kicked multiple times; at one stage I saw one the tall guy, who had also hit my girlfriend, kicking her so that her head slammed into tiles, which caused a horrific injury.
“I am highly upset about the lack of security. The security must have witnessed the assault, but did nothing to aid us,” he said.
”When you go to a mall to shop you want to know security will keep you safe.
“Do you have to carry your firearm with you everywhere?”
He claimed that neither the management of the shop where the altercation began, or of the centre, offered them assistance.
“This was clearly a racial issue,” he said.
”When you start screaming racial remarks, then it becomes a racial thing; people think that we’re a Rainbow Nation, but racism is not over.
He was mostly concerned about Natalie’s well-being during the assault.
“Men hitting a woman is just a sign of cowardice and it is unacceptable; they even ripped off her clothes,” he said.
“She was no threat to anyone when that guy jumped on her; she never threw one punch; she doesn’t even know how to fight.
“I was fighting, because I was protecting myself and her.
”You must imagine how I felt – what could I do in a situation like that? I’m watching men hitting my girlfriend while I’m also being assaulted.
“This incident was very traumatising for her – she is now scared of everything.
“She is the one who has to deal with the horror of her head being split open, which needed six stitches. She will be reminded of this horrific incident every time she looks in the mirror.”
Even though they did call for an ambulance, they eventually decided to drive themselves to the hospital following a 30-minute wait for help.
Spence sustained a minor concussion, a swollen eye, swelling of the brain, bruises all over her body and an injured jaw.
Ramos suffered multiple injuries, including fractured ribs.
According to the Boksburg North SAPS communications officer, Lieut Juanita Coetzer, a case of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm has been opened at the SAPS.
“The SAPS is looking into enquiring if there is video footage of the incident, which will aid the investigation,” she said.
East Rand Galleria manager Lee-Anne van der Nest refused to comment on the incident. – @IschkeBoksburg
