Coffin assault case must spur government action against hate crime

Amnesty International says the coffin assault case should spur government action against hate crime.

“This hideous case lays bare the discrimination that still runs deep in South African society. The fact that the whole grotesque episode was captured on video and then posted to social media suggests that the perpetrators felt little concern that they would face justice.

“There is no place for racism or discrimination in any society‚ and this terrible case must spur the government to finalise the Hate Crimes legislation in order to deal decisively with incidents of discrimination‚” said Amnesty International spokesperson Robert Shivambu.

The Middelburg High Court on Friday convicted Theo Martins Jackson and Willem Oosthuizen of attempted murder‚ assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and kidnapping after forcing Victor Mlotshwa into a coffin last year.

The pair took a video of Mlotshwa being forced into a coffin‚ which sparked a national outrage when it hit social media. The video was admitted as evidence by the court during the bail application of the two.

They faced charges of attempted murder‚ two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm relating to separate incidents‚ as well as charges of kidnapping‚ intimidation‚ unlawful possession of a firearm and defeating the ends of justice. They pleaded not guilty on all counts.