The Bloemfontein car mechanic business believed to belong to one of the Maselspoort Resort attack accused was spray painted by Azapo members. Photo: Supplied
The Azanian People’s Organisation (Azapo) descended on the Free State business premises of one of the alleged racist attack-accused, and spray painted his walls with anti-racism slogans.
A video clip obtained by The Citizen showed individuals clad in Azapo t-shirts spray painting the walls of the mechanic workshop, which is believed to belong to one of the suspects which appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court.
“We went to his auto-repair business to let him know that Azapo, we won’t tolerate racism and we will hunt them down because they are not welcomed in Azania,” said Azapo deputy president Kekeletso Khena.
“By spray painting his business, we have let his customers know that he is racist and that by supporting the business, they are enabling and funding his racism, which makes them complicit.”
On Wednesday, the case against two of the three suspects – Johan Nel, 33, and Stephanus van der Westhuizen, 47, – was postponed to January by the court, just hours after they were arrested and charged with assault and crimen injuria.
The alleged racist attack on black teenage boys at the Maselspoort Resort was caught on video and went viral, drawing anger and condemnation over the Christmas weekend.
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Free State spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said the duo were charged with common assault and crimen injuria.
“They were released today and will be back in court on 25th January. The third person in custody will appear tomorrow,” he said on Wednesday.
Nel and Van Der Westhuizen are seen in the video clips attacking the teenagers at the resort’s swimming pool. One of them was seen strangling one boy while another who was outside the pool, pulled the second boy by his hair towards the palisade fence, as if he was about to crash his head onto the spike.
The attempted murder charge against the third alleged attacker came about after he was seen submerging the third boy inside the pool.
ALSO READ: Maselspoort Resort: Trio arrested for attack on black teens appear in court
Azapo said they held a meeting with the Bloemfontein police to open a hate crime charge against the accused on Wednesday.
“AZAPO was unable to open a case or lay charges of hate crimes and racism because the system of the SAPS does not make provision for charges of racism or hate crimes. This left AZAPO with the impression that the South African criminal justice system has inadequate laws to combat crime,” spokesperson Gaontebale Godoba said in a statement on Wednesday.
“To AZAPO racism is criminal. The problem seems to lie with lawmakers – your parliamentarians. It does not make sense not to have provision for prosecuting racism and hate crimes generally; especially in a country with a toxic racial past, a racially polarised society and a prevalence of white supremacy, white privilege and white fragility.”
Police had initially opened assault charges despite the family laying attempted murder charges.
Free State police said the latter charge was added following a preliminary investigation.
NOW READ: WATCH: Family’s Christmas marred by alleged racist attack in Free State resort
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