Burger denies road rage claim
2005-01-25 14:45
Cape Town - Springbok flank Schalk Burger has vehemently denied reports that he was involved in an incident of road rage in Stellenbosch a fortnight ago.
"Schalk did not harm the other driver in any way. Any allegation that Schalk assaulted the other driver is blatantly untrue," read a statement issued by Sport International Management Company on behalf of Burger on Tuesday.
According to the Cape Times, Burger allegedly left an unidentified Parow man with a broken jaw after he drove into Burger's car in Stellenbosch on January 10.
Cape Town police would not disclose on Tuesday whether the IRB's Player of the Year was actually being investigated for an alleged road rage incident.
Police not disclosing names
"We are not disclosing any names," said captain Elna de Beer.
She did, however, confirm that the Stellenbosch police were investigating two cases.
One related to an assault charge laid at the police by a Parow man in his late 20s. There was a counter-charge of malicious damage to property by a 21-year-old man.
De Beer said both men would appear in the Stellenbosch magistrate's court on February 3.
The control prosecutor at Stellenbosch magistrate's court told Sapa no docket had been received yet.
Burger said he was contemplating taking the Cape Times to court over the incident.
"Schalk is considering legal action against the Cape Times after the police informed Mr Burger sen that the untrue allegations in the report did not originate from the police," Burger's statement read.
"On Monday evening 10 January 2005 at midnight Schalk Burger parked his car in a parking space in the street in front of the Town Hall in Stellenbosch.
He was accompanied by his girlfriend, Michelle, and a friend, Johan du Plessis.
Asked driver to move car
"Another vehicle was parked in front of Schalk's vehicle, but was facing the wrong direction.
"This vehicle suddenly moved forward and bumped into Schalk's car.
"Schalk got out of his car and asked the other driver to reverse his car so that he could see what the damage was.
"The other driver swore at Schalk and again drove his car into Schalk's car after he reversed.
"This the other driver repeated to the extent that he drove no less than four times into Schalk's car."
Burger and his friends noticed that "the other driver was extremely drunk".
According to the statement, Burger then removed the keys of the other vehicle to stop the other driver from continually crashing into his car.
"Schalk also took the driver's licence of the other driver to prove his identity and to lay a charge with the police.
Burger went to the Stellenbosch police station the following morning where he reported the incident for insurance purposes.
Later on the same day, the police told Burger they had arrested the other driver who only then laid a charge of assault against him.
- SAPA