Man (41) shot at and beat up

Kobus Nieuwoudt (41) was shot at and beaten up on the side of the road on Monday evening 14 April in Ontdekkers Park near Ontdekkers Road.

His family and friends remain unsure about what exactly happened to him, why, and who did it as Nieuwoudt cannot remember. Brother-in-law Diederik Harkema shared what information he had with the Record.

“My wife received a phone call last night from her brother, and when she answered, she only heard a scuffling in the background,” said Harkema on Tuesday 15 April.

The phone call was around 22.25pm. A friend later called the Harkemas to tell them that Nieuwoudt was found in Louis Street beat up next to his white Mazda Drifter bakkie. The friend had at the time believed that he was shot in the head.

“It was unclear to us whether he had been shot or not, his face was bloody and beaten up when I arrived on scene.

“An ambulance took him to Leratong Hospital where x-rays were done — luckily, they found, he hadn’t been shot.”

Upon Harkema’s further inspection of the scene around the bakkie, he found a bullet hole in the tar that confirmed nearby residents’ accounts that they had heard a gunshot.

“A nearby resident, that also happens to be part of the Horizon Block Watch, had heard the gunshot and alerted other members via the radio — for their assistance and the assistance of the Tornado Block Watch members I am very grateful — and also for the assistance of Bennie Hofman from A1 Assist.”

“He was found in Louis Street but would have turned down Conradie Street, on the other side of Ontdekkers Road, to get to his house.”

Harkema is unsure of what to make of the incident and discussed many possibilities with the journalist — most prominently, that Nieuwoudt could have been followed and attacked or the other party perhaps in a fit of road rage might have stopped and confronted him.

“We really are unsure of what happened, but nothing was taken off his person or from his vehicle when I arrived — his vehicle’s keys are still missing, but I believe he threw them away in an attempt to prevent it being taken.

“I don’t think he was confrontational during the incident — I don’t know him to get into fights.”

Despite police officers being on scene a case had not been opened to date and the Harkemas are in the process of taking the matter up with the Roodepoort police.

Any person that was an eyewitness to what happened to Kobus Nieuwoudt or that might have further information can contact Diederik Harkema on 084 630 5999.