Alleged racial attack just not cricket
2011-11-20 16:15
Johannesburg - Employees of leading accounting firm KPMG are embroiled in a racial brawl after a night of drinking at the company’s action-cricket league finals.
Trainee accountant Peterson Khumalo, 25, has laid criminal charges against two colleagues for alleged assault. The colleagues, whose names are known to City Press, have laid counter complaints against Khumalo.
The alleged attack happened in the early hours of Friday November 11 at the Sandton cricket arena while KPMG staffers were socialising after the KPMG Premier League finals.
Khumalo claimed when he returned from the bathroom he saw an altercation in the bar between two staff members. After the men were separated by other KPMG employees, one of them allegedly grabbed him by the collar and threw him to the ground.
When he stood up and asked the man why he had attacked him, he was pushed against the cricket nets, Khumalo said. Another colleague entered the fray and punched Khumalo.
When nobody came to his aid, he fought back, Khumalo said. It was only when the manager of the cricket arena stepped in that the fight was stopped.
Walked away
One of Khumalo’s seniors tried to calm the situation and talked everybody into shaking hands. But he says, “while shaking hands with the one guy, he came closer and called me a kaffir. I just turned around and walked away".
On his way out, he was allegedly attacked again by the same men. Khumalo has laid assault charges against his alleged attackers.
Khumalo’s lawyer, Bongani Khoza, said they were aware the two men had laid counter charges against his client, but they had not been contacted by police regarding the charges.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Moses Maphakela on Saturday confirmed a case of common assault, but said the docket was currently at court for the national prosecuting authority to decide whether to prosecute.
KPMG chief executive Moses Kgosana yesterday said the audit firm would conduct a full internal investigation once the outcome of the criminal matter was available.
