ANC dragged into coffin case

The "coffin assault" victim's close association with the ANC came under the spotlight yesterday, as he revealed that the party paid for his counselling sessions and continued to "take care" of him, because he is unemployed.

Testifying in sentencing proceedings against his two attackers, Victor Mlotshwa said he had no idea how much the ANC had paid for his counselling sessions. He could not recall the name of the counsellor or her address.

"This is the same ANC which put a big truck outside to intimidate people?" asked Org Basson, lawyer for Theo Jackson, one of the accused.

"I do not know about them intimidating people," Mlotshwa replied.

Basson accused Mlotshwa of "riding the wave and enjoying the limelight", which began after a video of the Mpumalanga assault went viral last year.

"You have become quite the celebrity," Basson said to Mlotshwa.

"That I do not know," Mlotshwa replied.

Basson criticised Mlotshwa for failing to take off his shirt and show the court the wounds he suffered as a result of the assault.

"I further put it to you that you are not telling the truth in the same way you did not tell the truth about grievous knobkerrie injuries," Basson said.

He said Mlotshwa had exaggerated the impact of the incident in order to bolster his civil claim against the pair.

Mlotshwa submitted that he wanted to lodge a R400,000 claim against the accused.

Yesterday, however, he stressed that he may be seeking an even higher amount

"I hope you show your back to the civil court, because it will not be as easy as it was in this court. Believe me," Basson hit back.

WATCH | 'I regret not taking him to the police'