Mayor’s security accused of attack after man tried to take photo

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Alan

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A 28-year-old man is enraged after he alleges that he was nearly run over by one of Mayor Zanele Hlatswayo’s bodyguards at the Liberty Midlands Mall and then assaulted by the burly guard.

The man, who agreed to speak to The Witness on condition of anonymity, said that a pleasant evening out at the mall with his girlfriend on Tuesday turned into a nightmare as they left.

The incident was captured on the mall’s security cameras and The Witness is in possession of a copy of the footage.

“As we walked out I noticed the mayor’s black Mercedes, registration NPC 1, parked near the entrance,” the man said.

He said he thought the car was parked in a specially designated parking bay for disabled people.

At his girlfriend’s suggestion he decided to take a picture of the car with his cellphone camera to show to centre management.

“We are both well aware that the [shopping] centre has a strict policy on parking in bays for disabled shoppers,” he said.

“As I stood focusing the camera, a white car drove at me, trying to run me down. I had to leap out of its way or I would have been run over. Then the car stopped and a man got out. He asked me what I was doing and before I could respond he hit me with a flat hand on the face.”

The shocked man had a swollen cheek and nose when he spoke with The Witness.

“I was absolutely stunned. He gave me no chance to respond. I did not touch the car and was posing no threat at all. I thought it best to just walk away.”

The man has opened a case against the bodyguard.

When contacted by The Witness, Hlatswayo said that she was aware of an incident that her bodyguards reported to her, but said she was not told that any assault took place.

Her bodyguard said that the man confronted him and asked why the car was parked there. “He said that the man insulted him, calling him a k*****.”

Hlatswayo said she has an arrangement with Liberty Mall to park in bays reserved for disabled people. “This is for security purposes.”

When The Witness told her that the complainant alleged that he was hit by her guard, she said the man should lay a charge.

Police confirmed that they are investigating a case of common assault and are collecting statements before the matter is referred to the director of public prosecution for comment.

The man has reacted strongly to the allegation that he swore at the guard, saying that he will happily submit to a lie detector test to prove his innocence. “That is a word I would not say.”

Cassy Wintgens, marketing manager at the mall, said the centre does not condone any form of violent behaviour on the property.

“We hold the safety of our customers in the highest regard and a full investigation is being conducted. Should such behaviour be experienced or observed it must be brought to security’s attention immediately and the relevant action will be taken. The security contact number is 033 342 4892.”

Wintgens denied that Hlatswayo has permission to park in disabled bays, saying that the mayor has permission to make arrangements to park in the management area behind the mall only.

“Paraplegic parking bays are reserved for paraplegics only and no one other than this has permission to utilise this facility.”
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http://www.witness.co.za/default.asp?myAction=detail&myRef=55119&myCat=news

Banana Republic :o
 
All the more reason to get the hell out of this damn place. . . . . .
You try and be a good citizen, and someone tries to kill you.
 
I wonder what he or the mall were planning on doing with the photo? They could only really clamp the wheel if the car was still there otherwise its a pretty futile exercise that almost costed this man his life.
 
:)
I'm getting seriously scared in this country.
I reckon the bodyguard is probably a racist, or maybe he played to much carmageddon.
 
NameOfBeast said:
Probably being civic minded: he was silly enough to think that an elected official should obey the law; But as you point out it could all have ended in tragedy.
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Still could. These buffoons being the gangstas they are could still give him trouble and intimidation. If they did though I would know about it.
 
I wish they would publish the security camera footage.
 
I freaking love this place. You can do what the xxxx you want as long as you are the right colour and belong to the right party.
 
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Someday one of these guys is going to try something like this and end up looking at the wrong end of a firearm. Amazing that he really thinks an insult is a reason to assault someone, and doesn't even try and excuse attempted vehicular homicide.
 
This is SOOOOOOOOOOOO typical... if the body guard klapped me I would have walked to my car, and decked him with a wheel spanner.
 
Leitmotif said:
Someday one of these guys is going to try something like this and end up looking at the wrong end of a firearm. Amazing that he really thinks an insult is a reason to assault someone, and doesn't even try and excuse attempted vehicular homicide.
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What insult? There wasn't one... the body guard also denied the assualt.... I recon he's just your basic everyday lier.
 
TiredOfWaiting said:
Then one of the other 5 bodyguards would simply pull out their guns and shoot you... :sick:
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Now that'd be difficult for them to explain... I would be acting in self defense... but the logic in this country has it that they probably would get off scot free, just as ths guy is going to.
 
"Zanele Hlatswayo’" was our zulu teacher at school...
 
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