Police act on sewage 'torture'

Police have begun taking statements from witnesses while investigating an incident in which a man was allegedly forced to drink faeces outside Springs in Gauteng.

Warrant Officer Johannes Ramphora said that police needed to get statements from various witnesses in order to decide whether or not to arrest the alleged perpetrator.

“Police have gone to obtain statements from witnesses. From there the matter will be taken to the prosecutors for a decision.”

The Star newspaper reported on Wednesday that a man was forced to drink sewage before being placed in a septic tank on December 9 on a smallholding at Endicott. The 36-year-old victim worked on the property as a mechanic.

He was allegedly tortured after failing to switch on the engine of a septic tank pump. His employer and his son allegedly also called him the “K” word.

The worker managed to get out of the tank after about 30 minutes.

TimesLIVE visited Endicott on Wednesday‚ a neighbourhood made up of plots along the R29. The plot on which the alleged incident happened has a fenced-off area where vehicles are sold.

The alleged perpetrator has‚ according to claims by residents‚ a history of violence.

Lefa Mphuthi‚ Thulani Methula and Frederick Nhlabathi were previously allegedly attacked by the same man. Mphuthi and Methula took TimesLIVE to Nhlabathi’s home in Mpumelelo‚ a few kilometres from Endicott.

Nhlabathi said he was shot four times by the man with a pellet gun on May 30‚ 2017 as he was cutting wood near a liquor store within sight of the man’s property.

“He got out and started swearing at us. He then walked into the house and came back with his son. He was carrying a pellet gun and his son had nothing in his hands. He immediately started shooting at us up until he ran out of bullets. Mphuthi was shot in the buttocks and Methula was able to escape‚” he said.

“His son then took one of the axes that we were using and pretended as if he wanted to strike Mphuthi. I shouted and asked him to stop. I am still asking myself what would have happened if this man had a real gun‚” said Nhlabathi.

Nhlabathi was wounded in the chest‚ wrist‚ stomach and thigh. The matter was reported to the police and the man was arrested and charged.

However‚ when TimesLIVE asked Ramphora about the outcome of the case he said there had been an out-of-court settlement.

“That case was before the court …. The complainant reached a settlement with the accused and there was a payment. I spoke to an investigating officer [on this case] who informed me this. These people must be honest with you‚” said Ramphora.

Nhlabathi later confirmed that he had received R6‚000.