Five security personnel accused of assaulting a former colleague made their second appearance in the Krugersdorp Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 28 October.
The heavy-set men, who are out on bail, were arrested on 8 September and charged with attempted murder and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after allegedly assaulting Goodwill Dladla, 43, who worked for them as a mine guard in Muldersdrift.
Dladla opened a case of assault at Muldersdrift Police Station on 31 August after spending two weeks in hospital. He claimed he was brutally assaulted by his superiors earlier in August.
An anguished and scarred Dladla told the Northsider that on 17 August the five men ambushed him and took him to a dark corner of the site where he worked, and assaulted him viciously to a point where his leg was broken.
He claimed the assault stemmed from allegations that he had been behind the theft of cables at work.
“When they took me to the secluded area, my boss started questioning me about cable theft,” he claimed.
He said after denying any involvement, the alleged ‘punishment’ started.
“They started kicking and punching me until I found a gap to escape,” he recollected.
However, Dladla claimed that his escape was short-lived as he was chased and tackled to the ground by one of the men. “At this point, my boss came up and jumped on my right leg with both feet – breaking it instantly. After that I was helpless and couldn’t walk,” he alleged.
He further alleged that the assault did not stop there as his boss went to his car and pulled out his pump gun. “He returned and stood on my broken foot, and shot me with rubber bullets four times at close range as I was lying unconscious on the ground,” he lamented.
After the assault, he said, they called an ambulance which took him to Leratong Hospital. After being discharged from hospital on 31 August, Dladla said he limped to the station to open a case.
Spokesperson for the station, Constable Boitumelo Sehloho confirmed the case, saying that the suspects aged between 25 and 38 were arrested, charged and detained at the station on 8 September.
The suspects initially appeared in court on 9 September and were released on R1 500 bail each, pending further investigations.
On Wednesday, 28 October they reappeared in court only briefly and their case was postponed to 11 November for the court to obtain copies of the docket.
This is a developing story.
