Suspended CEO’s ‘k-word defence’ for assault on pregnant woman divides SA

Following reports that the businessman who was caught on CCTV assaulting a pregnant woman at the Featherbrooke Village Mall in Ruimsig, Johannesburg, defended his actions on Wednesday by claiming she had called him the k-word, the story has divided South Africans.

Romeo Makhubela, who has been suspended as the chief executive of Novare Consultants, repeatedly slapped Bianca Fourie, who is eight months pregnant, just outside the entrance to a Steers in the mall after an argument over a parking spot.

Romeo Makhubela during the assault on Fourie, right.

He told City Press that he wasn’t a “madman” who’d attacked the woman without cause. He said his side of the story was that Fourie had blocked several cars, and irritated other drivers too.

“It was at this point that a screaming confrontation ensued between the woman and occupants of a car in front of us. During this period the woman was hurling insults at the black occupants in that car,” he reportedly said.

He claimed that, after parking, he made the mistake of confronting “the woman”, who is the daughter of Krugersdorp Freedom Front Plus councillor Amanda de Lange.

“What I was not fully prepared for was that she would turn her rage against me with a barrage of racial slurs.”

He claimed he was called the k-word as well as a “poephol” in front of his children.

He then became overwhelmed with anger and attacked the woman.

Makhubela then opened a case of crimen injuria against Fourie at the Honeydew Police Station, as well as a complaint of racism with the Equality Court, he said.

Fourie’s mother, Councillor De Lange, has, however, claimed the only reason Fourie was assaulted was because she had pointed at Makhubela.

“In hindsight I know that I should not have allowed my anger to control me to a point where it was necessary to slap this woman and I am prepared to issue an unconditional apology to her for doing this,” Makhubela told City Press, though he still demanded action for allegedly being called the k-word “and other racial insults”.

However, many all over social media have responded by either not believing the former CEO, or sympathising with his argument. Some have said that even if the racial abuse happened, the response from Makhubela still deserves prosecution.

https://twitter.com/adrianbutta/status/994325833614491651

#RomeoMakhubela you are such a coward. Now you want to hide yourself behind a lie of the K word. Please , you are according to your stature an educated man!! You are nothing than a women abuser and a hipocrate!!!!! You don’t deserve any real position in the corporate world!!

— francoisc (@franna39) May 9, 2018

He tries to counter claim (as a prominent businessman with well paid lawyers) that he suffered crimen injuria. I frankly don't give a damn if he was called anything, you're an asshole if you hit a woman like that, nevermind one 7 months pregnant!@Romeo88546466 (#RomeoMakhubela)

— 🇿🇦 I ᗩᗰ ᗩᑎ ᗩᖴᖇIᑕᗩᑎ 🇿🇦 (@Clint_ZA) May 7, 2018

https://twitter.com/LlywellynDevon/status/994185018938478592

https://twitter.com/Kasishayeki/status/994311052304244738

So this scumbag @Romeo88546466 beat a pregnant woman over a parking bay. Thinks he is God because he is a director of multiple companies. Well done @novareholdings for suspending him. We call on all other companies he is associated with to do the same. #RomeoMakhubela https://t.co/qbP32uuj3Z

— Rodger Williams (@Rodger_Williams) May 9, 2018

https://twitter.com/SA_Heroes/status/994187635429199872

I trust there'll be as much outrage over #RomeoMakhubela attacking a 7 month pregnant woman as there was over the Spur incident.

Oh wait, he is a rich prominent black businessman and she is white.

Where are @CountryDutyZA, @AdvBarryRoux, @tumisole etc?https://t.co/ca6ityq5Ae

— 🇿🇦 I ᗩᗰ ᗩᑎ ᗩᖴᖇIᑕᗩᑎ 🇿🇦 (@Clint_ZA) May 7, 2018

#RomeoMakhubela I am Sorry Bianca that you were a victim of such cruelty.I think this Romeo is used to beat women& have little respect for women.There is no single excuse for what Romeo did.I hope you have already reported the case to the police.

— Kgomo kgomo (@Kgomokgomo5) May 8, 2018