Nick Bester ‘still not lekker’ two months after violent assault

Former elite athlete Nick Bester has called on the police to launch a stronger, more consistent line of defence in the ongoing battle against serious and violent crime.

Two months after he was left for dead in the Magaliesburg mountain range near his home, Bester lauded authorities for making real progress in bringing his assailants to justice.

Bester was one of 12 victims recently called in to identify a group of around 10 men who were allegedly involved in ambushing motorists and joggers in the area over the last few months.

Some of the accused, who appeared in court on Monday, had apparently been charged with murder and attempted murder.

Bester, 60, was left with three broken ribs, a fractured jaw, severe tissue damage and multiple lacerations after he was attacked by three men while training alone in late August.

While he had since recovered from most of his injuries, however, he admitted on Tuesday he was still struggling to deal with the emotional trauma he suffered during the assault.

“Some days I feel it worse than others, but I’m still not lekker,” he said.

“They were extremely vicious in the way they treated me, and I’m very lucky to be alive.”

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Though he was pleased with the efforts shown by police, Bester remained reluctant to venture out alone in the area surrounding his home.

“I’ve spoken to a lot of people and it’s just getting worse,” said Bester, a former ultra-distance road runner and triathlete who won the Comrades Marathon in 1991.

“I don’t think we’ll ever be safe again in the mountains around Johannesburg and Pretoria.”

Having seen some of his assailants being brought to book, Bester hoped other victims of violent crime would receive similar forms of justice.

“The police have been on patrol every day since I was attacked, but it’s a big job,” he said.

“So we need a strong, active police force which goes after every criminal, like they’ve done with my case, and the sentences must be severe. They must keep them in jail.”

Nick Bester spent time in intensive care after being attacked. Picture: Supplied

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