MBOMBELA – Police are investigating two cases of assault after a 21-year-old woman was left covered in bruises following a road-rage incident in the city last Friday. Ms Sylvia Groening alleged that the man who had filed a counter charge against her after beating her black and blue, was a former policeman.
Groening told Lowvelder that the incident took place on May 6, while she was driving along Piet Retief Street towards the R40. “My friend was with me in the car. We were passing Sonpark SPAR when a man crossed into my lane without indicating,” she said. His vehicle ended up in front of hers and he stopped dead. According to Groening, the man jumped out of his vehicle. “He came straight at me and his fists came at my face through the car window,” she said.
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Her passenger ran around their car and tried to protect Groening while she pushed her car door in the man’s direction. “He was too strong for us,” she said. “When I got out of my car, he held me, pushed me to the ground and kept on hitting me.” Suddenly, the man jumped up and tried to make a run for it. According to Groening, a friend of her brother had driven by and stopped at the scene. “He managed to ensure that the suspect was taken to the police station,” she said.
When Groening arrived at the police station to lay a charge against the man, she found him in a relaxed state. “He kept repeating that he used to be a policeman and that nothing would come of it,” she said. Groening could, however, lay a charge against her attacker. The latter in turn laid a counter charge of assault against her.
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Provincial police spokesman, Sgt Gerald Sedibe, confirmed this. He said that both cases were under investigation and that the National Prosecuting Authority would consider charging the man with assault. They would also consider whether he had a valid claim of assault against Groening. “The man’s identity will be revealed after his first court appearance. The same goes for whether he has been a policeman in the past or not,” said Sedibe.
