'I gave her R200 for food and transport‚ not to bribe her'

A man accused of assaulting his domestic worker claims to have given her R200 for transport and food and not to bribe her‚ as she has stated.

Kobus de Klerk‚ 47‚ is on trial in the Randburg Magistrate's Court facing a charge of assault for allegedly attacking Dube. He has pleaded not guilty.

Siyamthanda Dube maintains that her then-employer De Klerk repeatedly beat her in front of her 4-year-old daughter last year. De Klerk assaulted her because she had taken her sick daughter to the clinic‚ Dube said.

Dube had told the court that when she was waiting to be taken to the hospital by an ambulance‚ De Klerk placed R200 in her purse to bribe her. She said he had told her to not tell anyone about had what happened.

On Wednesday‚ however‚ De Klerk denied ever assaulting Dube or bribing her.

"I heard her say to a lady who works down the road from us that she does not have money for transport and food. I went to my car‚ came back with R200. I placed it in her purse because she was strapped. I said 'Here's money for transport and food'‚" De Klerk said. He said he gave her the money in front of the paramedics.

De Klerk said he did not assault Dube but that she fell on leaving his house.

"I only turned her around to face me and asked her to calm down. She was screaming and shouting at me. She said she won't leave because she works there. She then stepped back and fell into the scullery."

"I would not hurt her in any way. I am not a violent person‚" De Klerk had claimed earlier.

He told the court on Wednesday that Dube was in a position of trust. "She took care of the kids and looked after the house."

He said he had bought Dube's children Christmas presents as they were part of the family. "They needed to be happy. They watched cartoons with my kids. They swam with my kids. They ate with my kids."

De Klerk told the court that on the day of the incident‚ Dube was screaming at him when she came late from the chemist where she had taken her sick child. "She was vicious. She told me she is not a slave and that her child was sick. She kept throwing stuff in the basin."

The case continues.