Man feigns death and survives mob attack

An eyewitness account...

"The moment I stepped into the mobile toilet courtyard at the Makhado Show, maddened shouts and screams snatched my attention. When I looked to the right, I saw that a large group of mainly males was assaulting a man.

I rushed over and came to stand nearby, listening to people shouting that he deserved to be taught a lesson, so that he could stop his silly habit of snatching cell phones and handbags from powerless ladies.

There was a strong team of security officers around who tried to rescue the helpless man. As one security officer tried to reason with the enraged mob, one of the men hit the security officer across the face with a fist. More people shouted that the security officers must stop rescuing criminals because, in doing so, it might seem like they condoned acts of crime.

The team of security officers stepped back and the men continued to teach the 'thief' a lesson. Some poured cold beer on him, and another man urinated on his face and head. “You wanted to rape our sister, bhari yehiyi (you fool)!” shouted the one who urinated on him.

The victim wailed and cried, but that didn't help either while they kicked him and hit him with cans of beer. He probably feigned death to try and escape their wrath.

As I stood around, I sympathised with the helpless, beaten man and raised my voice for all to hear. I pleaded with the mob to show him some mercy. I knew that I was also putting my life at risk. After reasoning with the mob for about 10 minutes, they listened to me and stopped beating him. The mob dispersed.

The security officials were not sure if an ambulance or the police had been called. It was about 45 minutes after the man had been assaulted. I had no numbers for the EMS ready either, so I called the Makhado SAPS's cluster commander, Brig Alex Seopa, and asked him to do 'something'. He agreed and promised to get back to me. Indeed, he called and notified me that the police and ambulance had been sent for the man, who needed immediate medical attention.

Meanwhile, the man was still sprawled on the ground, his body shaking from the cold. His t-shirt was torn.

He opened his eyes and tearfully said: “I thank you for rescuing me, brother. I am not a habitual thief. I was only trying my luck, so that I could sell that phone and have cash to buy beer like other people here. But now they taught me a lesson I will never forget in my life. I thank them for beating me.”

Soon the ambulance arrived. The personnel helped him into the ambulance and drove off."

News - Date: 08 August 2014

Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.

Email: [email protected]