Eugene Schlebusch, 27, warns residents against walking Witpoortjie’s streets at night after he was assaulted while walking to a petrol station.
Last night (Tuesday 27 January) at around 8.30 he made his way to a petrol station on Generaal Pienaar Street by foot to buy his sister baby milk for her child, which is not an unusual occurrence. Two tall men stopped him in his tracks and went on to kick him and assault him, demanding money and a cell phone. They stripped him and searched his person before making off with his flip flops and rucksack and R500 in cash. Fortunately his cell phone was safe at home.
Schlebusch was booked off from work with a kidney infection the previous week and said the assault had set his recovery back. He sustained upper body injuries and found blood in his urine. He is expected back at work, as a dance instructor, by the end of the week.
After the assault, it took him nearly two hours to walk back home, which was only a few streets away. He said he was disappointed that the block watch and security companies weren’t patrolling in the area around that time, as they normally would.
“Two vehicles passed me by while I was assaulted; this just shows me residents don’t care to get involved, or fear for their own safety in these situations,” he told the Record.
“I’d like to warn the community to take precaution when walking these streets and to rather travel in pairs or in a group.”
He said he has lost trust in the Roodepoort Police after his sister was robbed in Princess a few months ago and they failed to make arrests. He will not be opening a case for further investigation.
The Western Suburbs Roodepoort Neighbourhood Watch (WSRNW) spokesperson Frik van Zyl said the incident had not been reported to them, nor are such incidents prevalent in the area. He confirmed eight block watch members were patrolling the neighbourhood on Tuesday night.
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