TV star keeps hope after alleged racial attack: 'They can never get me down'

Real Goboza host and radio presenter Samora Mangesi says that even being left bruised, bloody and unconscious in an alleged racial assault can't keep him from enjoying life.

Samora this week recounted how he stopped to help a group of white people whose car had overturned, but was allegedly called a "monkey" and beaten up instead.

“On Friday night I was the victim of a racially motivated attack. After stopping to check on a group of young white people whose car had overturned, they called my friends & I ‘monkeys’. When we engaged them on why we were being called such, they beat me up until I was unconscious,” Mangesi claimed in a Twitter thread on Wednesday.

Social media has been flooded with messages of support for the TV star since, including from Western Cape Premier Helen Zille, and he has been responding to many of the well wishes.

When asked why he seemed to be in a good mood, even after being attacked, Samora said that he would not let the incident get him down.

"They'll never get me down. Even at my worst, I can still share a quick joke or a funny face. Lol."

He confirmed that police were investigating the matter, but explained that he was hesitant at first.

He said that the drama around Empire star Jussie Smollett, who has been accused of staging a racial attack against himself, had left him unsure on whether to take action.

"Jussie (Smollet) was a huge part of why I thought of not reporting it, but when I heard it's not the first time it's happened, I thought it my responsibility to stop it from happening again. The next guy might not be so lucky to just end up unconscious. He could end up dead."

He told fans that he hoped to be back to his old self soon and even posted a picture of himself before the attack, to encourage himself.