A mobile phone video clip has surfaced on YouTube, exposing an alleged diplomat’s security guards assaulting a cyclist on Roper Street, in Pretoria, last Wednesday.
Hein van der Merwe, the cyclist who was assaulted, told eNCA about his ordeal with the two smartly dressed security guards, which began with a black Mercedes Benz failing to halt at a stop and pushed its way in front of him.
“In my attempt to get the driver’s attention by cycling next to the driver’s side door/window repeatedly shouting and in a final attempt to get his attention, hitting down twice on his side wing mirror, the vehicle deliberately tried to run me over by swerving into me,” he told the news channel.
What followed was a scuffle between Van Der Merwe and one of the diplomat’s guards, who took to pinning Van Der Merwe to the ground and proceeded to threaten him.
This incident came into public knowledge thanks to a pupil who filmed it using a mobile phone. It was then later uploaded to YouTube.
Van der Merwe then told eNCA diplomatic police arrived at the scene, but were unhelpful.
“The diplomatic police on scene told me to delete photos and videos I took of the diplomat. The police also [began] intimidating the school child who took the video.”
Following the incident, Van Der Merwe attempted to open a case with the Brooklyn police station, but since the case involves foreign diplomats and the diplomatic police, Van Der Merwe was referred to the police headquarters.
It is still unclear as to which country the diplomat and the diplomatic motocade belonged to.
News24 asked Colette Weilbach, captain and spokesperson for the Brooklyn Police Station, about the incident, but she was unable to confirm whether Van Der Merwe did or did not attempt to make a case.
“Mr van der Merwe has the right to lodge a formal complaint against the police who allegedly did not assist him in opening a case,” Weilbach told News24.
