Shortly after the court appearance of the men accused of assaulting him, Flippie Engelbrecht suffered a seizure.
|||Cape Town - Shortly after the court appearance of the men accused of beating him so badly that he became an epileptic, Flippie Engelbrecht had a seizure outside the Ashton Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, surrounded by police officers, protesters and journalists.
Johnny Burger, the owner of Rietvallei Wine Estate, and farm manager Wilhelm (Dozi) Treurnicht, appeared briefly on two charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. A third man has turned State witness and may receive indemnity from prosecution.
On Wednesday the court warned Burger and Treurnicht not to approach the 10 witnesses on the State’s list.
The case was postponed until August 28 for a regional court date.
It is the State’s case that in 2008 Burger and Treurnicht beat Flip Engelbrecht, a farm labourer on Rietvallei, and his son, Flippie, then 15. Flippie was so badly injured that he was left both blind and epileptic.
Later, during a seizure, Flippie fell into a fire and lost both of his hands.
On Wednesday, outside court, Flippie said, referring to Burger and Treurnicht: “How does he feel now, is he happy with the way I look? If it was his child he would be heartbroken.”
As he spoke he began to shake and his family laid him down on the tarmac, where he had a seizure. Flippie’s mother, Katrina Engelbrecht, said: “We want justice out of this court and we don’t want any other child to be hurt.”
Flip Engelbrecht, 53, said it had taken five years for the case to reach court. “It took so long. I’m glad this is finally happening.”
Merencia Gillian, chairperson of the non-profit organisation Freedom Trust, said they were supporting this case and “thousands” of similar cases.
“We will fight until the bitter end.”
natasha.bezuidenhout@inl.co.za
Cape Argus
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