Police investigates an alleged assault at a resort
2022/12/26
South African Police Service
Office of the Provincial Commissioner of Free State
Police are investigating an alleged assault of two teenage boys who have been assaulted by a group of males while at a resort in Bloemfontein on Christmas Day.
On 25 December 2022 at about 15:03, Glen SAPS members were called to a fighting incident taking place at a holiday resort in Bloemfontein. On arrival members found the groups already dispersed and were approached by a parent to one of the victims who alleged that his two teenage boys aged 18 and 13 were assaulted by a group of white males over the usage of a swimming pool.
Glen police are investigating a case of assault common and the docket will be taken to court for decision. The suspects who are all white males as seen on the video circulating were warned to appear in court on a date to be set by the Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court.
Free State Provincial Commissioner Lt Gen Motswenyane said the incident will receive proper attention from the investigating team assigned. "We further condemn the behaviour as reflected on the video." Said the Provincial Commissioner.
Statement issued by Office of the Provincial Commissioner of Free State, South African Police Service, 26 December 2022
Family came to spend the day @ MASELSPOORT RESORT & CONFERENCE CENTRE in Free State. My brothers were attacked by these grown men because they are apparently not allowed in the pool as it's reserved for the "white people" here.
— TWIN FL🔥ME (@Tumii_Frost) December 25, 2022
The Oranje-Vrystraat we love 🫶🏾
Merry Christmas pic.twitter.com/ac4UPZ05ey
UPDATE: Police are investigating an alleged assault at a resort
2022/12/27
South African Police Service
Office of the Provincial Commissioner of Free State
After police were called to a crime scene where two boys were seen on the video attacked and assaulted, there are some new developments in the matter.
On 25 December 2022 at about 15:03, Glen SAPS members were called to a scene which took place at a holiday resort in Bloemfontein.
On arrival members found the groups involved already dispersed and were approached by a parent to one of the victims who alleged that his two teenage boys aged 18 and 13 were assaulted by a group of white males over the usage of a swimming pool.
Given this first information of crime which was received by the police at that time, the only charges which could be registered were assault common and Crimean Injuria. We want to put it on record that the police never downgraded any crime but worked and were informed by first statement as obtained from the complainant.
That was not the end of our investigation, hence the investigator continued to obtained more statements before the docket can be placed before the senior state prosecutor to give further directives as the one having such muscles to decide if after obtaining these additional statements a charge can be changed.
It was after obtaining these statements, the docket was presented to the senior state prosecutor who gave a directive that a charge can be changed to attempted murder given additional facts.
The approach of the investigator in this regard as it’s the mandate of the police was to investigate in order to arrest and not to arrest and investigate thereafter. The docket was received back from the senior state prosecutor with clear directives, the investigator is now working on these directives and we anticipate that the perpetrator or perpetrators will within no time be brought before a court of law to account on this incident.
Statement issued by Office of the Provincial Commissioner of Free State, South African Police Service, 27 December 2022
NEW: Security camera footage of the attack on Black teens at a pool in South Africa provides a more complete picture of what happened. You can see a white man stopping the boys at the gate & almost all the white swimmers getting out of the pool when one of the teens gets in. pic.twitter.com/7CFgEUXY4Y
— John Eligon (@jeligon) December 29, 2022
UPDATE: Police are investigating an alleged assault at a resort
2022/12/28
After an additional charge was added, the investigating team worked around the clock to detect the suspects, we can confirm that there are three suspects arrested today. The first two who were arrested are from Bothaville and Brandfort respectively, 33-year-old Johan Nel and 47-year-old Jan Stephanus van der Westhuizen.
The two appeared in court on charges of assault common and Crimean Injuria and the matter was postponed to 25 January 2023 while being released on warning. The third suspect from Bloemdal in Bloemfontein was arrested just after 12:00 and will be charged with Attempted Murder he will remain in custody, and is expected to appear in Bloemfontein Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 29 December 2022 on the main charge being Attempted Murder.
The Provincial Commissioner of the Free State police commended the investigating team which worked tirelessly to make sure that these suspects are brought to book as soon as possible.
“This matter was regarded as very sensitive, hence we appealed to our team to handle it with urgency it deserved,” said the Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Baile Motswenyane.
Statement issued by Office of the Provincial Commissioner of Free State, South African Police Service, 28 December 2022
