Daily Sun (May 8 2015) - NHLANHLA MAY have escaped death when cops saved him from being necklaced.
But his ordeal is far from over as the angry men from the tavern keep pouring beer over his head.
THEY REMIND HIM OF THE DAY HE WAS JUST A MATCHSTICK AWAY FROM DEATH.
“Those men still want me dead,” said Nhlanhla Ntsele (29) from Palm Springs, east of Joburg.
“They still accuse me of stealing, and when they pour beer over my head, they threaten they will do the same thing with petrol.”
Nhlanhla told Daily Sun he was watching TV in a house in Palm Springs, east of Joburg at about 8pm in February when six men forced open the door.
“The men accused me of stealing a plasma TV, two cellphones and a car radio,” he said.
Nhlanhla said he is not a thief and he has never stolen anything from anybody in his life.
He said the men beat him up with sticks, fists and knobkerries and then took him into the streets, where more than 50 community members watched as a tyre was placed around his neck and five litres of petrol was poured over him.
He said as they were about to strike a match, his neighbour pushed them away, warning them that they might also get burnt.
Nhlanhla’s neighbour, Gabisile Ndlovu (26), said she heard people shouting and when she went outside she saw Nhlanhla lying on the ground.
“I told the men to leave Nhlanhla and called the cops.”
When the cops arrived they took the tyre off his neck and took him to the cop shop for his own safety.
Gabisile’s father took Nhlanhla from the police station to hospital, where he spent the night.
But Nhlanhla said he still fears the men who nearly killed him.
He said every time he goes to the tavern, they pour alcohol over him, telling him they will pour petrol over him and set him on fire next time.
“The men were arrested and released,” he said. He claims the officer handling the case doesn’t update him.
“I want the truth as to why I was assaulted and nearly burnt. I want the men involved to face the music.”
He said a case of assault, kidnapping, attempted murder and damaged to property was opened at Mafatsana Police Station in Evaton the day after the attack.
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