Pretoria – Five people who allegedly dragged a Pretoria man out of a building in “Ku Klux Klan” style, and used a cattle prod to assault his elderly father, are being sued for millions in damages and defamation.
Netwerk24 reported on Tuesday that Mathys Uys, 34, was allegedly attacked in April because he is married to a black woman.
The summons on behalf of Uys, his wife Selina Zulu, 34, and his father, Lukas van der Merwe, 79, was filed in the High Court in Pretoria last week.
The defendants – four men and a woman – have ten court days to oppose it. They are all residents of Bultfontein holdings, north of Pretoria. One of them is a psychologist.
According to the court documents, Uys is claiming R1.5m, while Van der Merwe is claiming R1.4m. Zulu, in her personal capacity and on behalf of her three children who witnessed the alleged assault, is claiming R3m.
The amounts include compensation for severe pain and suffering, psychological counselling and medical treatment. The claimants say they are still experiencing fear and anxiety and are having trouble sleeping.
‘Robbed of freedom’
The court papers also state that they were robbed of their freedom of movement, and their honour and dignity were affected.
Van der Merwe was allegedly stopped by one of the defendants on the road on April 19 and told that he had a squatter camp on his smallholding and that these people were not welcome. Uys, his wife and their children live in a tent on Van der Merwe’s plot.
The suspects also allegedly used the k-word.
Later, more people came to his property and proceeded to assault Van der Merwe and shock him with a cattle prod.
Uys was dragged out to the front of the house in “Ku Klux Klan” style and was kicked, beaten and shocked. His wife and children, who witnessed the attack, were racially abused and prevented from leaving their tent.
Zulu and her children say they are now living in fear of white people after being called racist and derogatory names.
Charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm were laid with police.
Hanti Otto, Netwerk24
