Party weekend becomes nightmare
2010-09-09 09:59
Stellenbosch - A birthday weekend became a brawl when a young man and his friends were allegedly attacked in a holiday home in Betty's Bay, apparently after slashing the tyres of their attackers.
Three suspects from Kleinmond, all 18 years and older, will appear in the Caledon Magistrate's Court on Friday in connection with the attack in the holiday town last weekend.
They are facing charges of assault with the intention of doing grievous bodily harm and malicious damage to property.
Krish Naidoo from Avondale, Parow, hired a house for the weekend in Betty's Bay for his son, Praveen, to celebrate his 23rd birthday with a group of 11 friends ranging in age from 16 to 25.
One of the friends, Eugene Rall, 25, told Die Buger they met local schoolboys at a place where they had played pool. They invited the boys back to the house but then asked them to leave after they allegedly drove "recklessly".
Reinforcements
The boys then left, but later returned with what Rall called "reinforcements".
"All hell broke loose, because then there were suddenly another two boys, two adults and three girls. The men were armed with an axe, bottles, screwdrivers and thick sticks," said Rall.
Rall was allegedly assaulted so badly that he sustained a light concussion and his body was full of bruises. The other friends apparently had to receive trauma counselling.
The house was allegedly badly damaged. According to the owner – who didn't want to give his name – the damage ran into thousands of rands.
Captain Jakobus Marthinus, station commander of Kleinmond police, confirmed the incident.
He said the car tyres of the local boys were apparently slashed. They went to get their parents and came back.
Marthinus said only the three suspects were arrested so far, but that the investigation was ongoing.