Drunk man pees on sleeping parking attendant in Pretoria

Gauteng police have encouraged the witnesses to lay a charge of crimen injuria against the man.


Video footage posted on Twitter showing a drunk man urinating on a sleeping parking attendant in Hatfield, Pretoria, at the weekend prompted a shocked response from users, who also questioned the humanity of South Africans.

The SA Human Rights Commission also weighed in, with spokesperson Gushwell Brooks saying: “The video is disturbing and appears to be a violation of two rights within the Bill of Rights. Dignity, section 10, as well as freedom and security of the person, section 12.

“Once the perpetrator is identified, the matter can be reported to the police on a charge of assault and the commission can also be approached to investigate.”

The footage, posted by user @globetrottersa1, who wished to remain anonymous, shows a young man standing over the parking attendant and urinating on him on Burnett Street on Saturday just before 6am.

“I witnessed a dude thinking it was OK to pee on a sleeping beggar. Now, before the video is taken out of context, Dude decided to find a bush less than a metre away from a popular 24-hour joint.

“He started peeing away from the sleeping beggar but then decided, without anyone watching, to start actually peeing on the sleeping beggar,” he said on Twitter.

The witness recorded the incident as the footage could be used as evidence, should it go to court. He said he confronted the man, but was threatened.

“I eventually walked over to the gentleman and tried to bring some sense to him.

“Him and his drunk friends threatened me and, at that moment, the best thing to do was to just leave it at that and hope the story would have an impact on Twitter.”

The parking attendant, who appeared to be intoxicated, was seen trying to take off his wet reflector jacket shortly after the incident. While looking for the victim yesterday, other parking attendants told The Citizen the man, identified as Nico, often slept on that corner.

Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters encouraged the witness to lay a charge of crimen injuria, although a case has not been opened.

“Since the witness says he was threatened by the perpetrator, he could also open a case of intimidation.”

– rorisangk@citizen.co.za

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