Because I am poor people think I am not ok‘upstairs’,”those were the words of Mr Patrick Gandela on Tuesday, 5 November at Secunda Magistrate Court.

Mr Gandela was not happy after he was called to the state prosecutor office together with the man he opened assault case against.

The alleged suspect Mr Moolman had his lawyers with him at the state prosecutor office.

According to Mr Gandela, he was requested to forgive the man who assaulted him and also drop the charges. 

“I do not hold grudges against him because actually he helped to save my life, but I want him to reveal the leader who instructed them to tie my hands and legs.

“He was not alone, where are the others? Bring all of them, I want to see and hear them asking for forgiveness,” Mr Gandela added.

He further mentioned that forgiving the alleged suspect and drop the charges is not the solution because there is a leader behind his assault. 

A video of Mr Gandela being manhandled by a group of men wearing Afriforum and Sasol branding went viral on social media on Saturday, 4 May 2019. 

People identified the men on the video as Afriforum members. 

According to Afriforum, they were contacted by one of the children’s parents at Laerskool Goedehoop and reported that Mr Gandela was seen trying to separate the children who were playing rugby at the school.

One of the Afriforum members was said to have tried to remove him, but he became violent and back up was needed. 

Mr Gandela said on the day of the incident he was watching rugby at the school because he stayed near the school. 

“One of the Afriforum members approached and accused me of committing burglary in his house years ago and that was how the problem started,” said Mr Gandela. 

He also claimed that the men assaulted him before he was taken to the police station.

Afriforum opened a case of assault against Mr Gandela and Mr Gandela also opened assault case against them. 

“Today they realized that I am alone and they want to corner me and request that I drop the charges.

If I did not open assault case against them, where they going to say the same?”asked Mr Gandela who could not hide his anger while sitting on a bench in court. 

The case was postponed to Tuesday, 10 December.

While Mr Gandela was leaving the Secunda Magistrate Court, a white man called him and asked why he was angry. 

Mr Ruhan said he also opened a case of assault against Mr Moolman and he was also requested to drop the charges. 

Moolman was represented by Hunter_Spies Attorneys who dismissed the allegations of trying to get complainants drop the charges. 

According to Mr Moolman attorney, it was a mediation process for their client and the two complainants.

“It is an attempt to try and settle the matter out of court to save costs and it happens every day,”said Moolman attorney who further mentioned that they saw the video andwould also want to see justice done.

The state prosecutor was contacted to get  the reason for him to agree on settling the matter out of court. 

He was asked if the matter was not of serious nature for him to agree on mediation process.

The state prosecutor said he cannot respond on the matter since he is not allowed to speak to the media.