The man accused of assaulting an EFF member during a violent protest in front of Brackenfell High School in 2021 says his client has been cleared of all charges.
Also read: SHRC concludes investigation into an alleged racist incident at Brackenfell High School
According to his lawyer, Dante van Wyk recently appeared in the Kuilsriver Magistrates’ Court, and was acquitted.
Van Wyk was among a group filmed participating in clashes with the EFF outside the school over allegations of racism.
The protest followed reports of a matric dance that was only attended by white pupils.
Speaking to IOL, Van Wyk’s legal representative, Millie Westley, said that her client had received several death threats as a result of the incident, adding that he had been acquitted.
“The State failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that it was indeed Mr Van Wyk who assaulted the complainant,” she said.
“He received over 4 000 death threats on social media. The threats were from EFF members.”
“The threats were aimed at him, his life partner and even his unborn child. The tone of a great number of these threats were that these EFF members were just waiting for their commander in chief to give them an instruction to go and kill him,” she said.
Westley said that video footage of the protest was not allowed as evidence in the matter.
“Videos can be edited and the court was not in a position to establish the authenticity of the video material,” she said.
While Van Wyk declined to comment, IOL reports that EFF provincial spokesperson Wandile Kasibe maintained that Van Wyk had committed assault.
“The EFF Western Cape vehemently rejects the unfounded allegations perpetuated by Dante’s lawyer, implicating EFF members in the number of death threats that she purports were generated by our members.”
“As a party we respect the court and its processes, but equally note with grave concern media reports that Dante has not been found guilty after having been captured on camera assaulting one of our members in Brackenfell,” Kasibe said.
“We are of the view that the evidence is there in the open for everyone to see, thus in the court of public opinion, Dante and his racist, obnoxious lot did assault our members, and we believe that one day true justice will be served,” he said.
Also read:
Brackenfell students of colour were not excluded from matric dance, says WCED
Picture: Cape{town}Etc Library