Assaulted Murraysburg farmworker grateful for community’s support

A FARMWORKER who was allegedly assaulted by a father and son said although he was still fearful of his accused attackers, he was grateful for the community’s support at court this week.

Anthony Koopman was supported by Murraysburg residents outside the local magistrate’s court this week, as the assault matter continued against his alleged attackers.

Koopman, a freelance farmworker, said he was attacked by the father and son in February last year after the pair accused him of stealing and killing their sheep.

Koopman said his ordeal started after he experienced trouble with his bicycle, when suddenly he was “accosted by a man who had jumped from behind bushes”.

“He jumped out from behind the bushes and he shouted at me ‘staan stil, bliksem, of ek skiet jou vrek (stand still, b ****** , or I’m going to kill you)’. I stood still and when he approached me, he hit me off my bicycle and hit me in the face with a gun,” Koopman said.

He alleged the assault continued when the farm owner’s father arrived on the scene and he was shot at with a gun, taking a shot to the hip and in his neck.

After lodging complaints against his attackers, the pair were granted bail of R1 000 each.

According to local community activists Thandoxolo Williams and Neville van Rooy, the community was unhappy with delays in the case.

“The Murraysburg community is here because we are extremely unhappy with how this case is being handled.

“Why is everything so delayed? We want justice for Anthony. We want justice for our communities,” they said.

The case is expected to continue today.

Attempts to get comment from police and the National Prosecuting Authority were successful by deadline.