THE VIDEO IN THIS STORY IS OF A VIOLENT NATURE AND SENSITIVE VIEWERS ARE WARNED.
Cape Town - Video footage of a Cape Town businessman beating his wife with his daughter in the same bed, trying to protect her mother, has surfaced.
The businessman, who may not be named to protect his minor daughter, appeared in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on several charges of assault on Tuesday.
AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit will be representing the mother and child.
The video has since gone viral on social media groups across the country.
In the video footage, the businessman, his wife, and daughter, who is laying between the two, can be seen in bed.
The man then gets up and starts hitting the woman while he has his phone in his hand.
As he hits her, he tries to get on top of her. She kicks him away. The young girl can be seen pushing her father away but he continues to hit the mother.
He throws his phone aside and is basically on top of the woman and child.
He continues throwing punches and smacks.
He manages to throw the woman from the bed and the child stands besides her mother as it appears the man strangles the woman.
According to AfriForum, the man is a successful businessman in Cape Town.
According to the organisation, the abuse has been ongoing for years, and in 2018 charges of assault were filed against the businessman, however, he was granted bail and her attorney at the time said the mother and child were unable to testify.
“Several incidents were captured by the couple’s closed-circuit TV. In August 2018, the unit’s client opened a case of assault against her husband. The police arrested the accused, and he was later granted bail.
“Unfortunately, years of physical and emotional abuse had taken its toll on the woman and her daughter. Her then attorney told the prosecutor that they were emotionally unfit to testify – the case was subsequently withdrawn,” it said.
AfriForum said it has met with the woman who is now prepared to proceed with the case.
It said it made representations to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the matter was re-enrolled.
“We will keep a close eye on this case to ensure justice is done. We appeal to victims of gender-based violence to speak out and seek support. There will always be someone to stand by your side, like our Unit which has assisted many women in similar positions,” the unit’s spokesperson, Barry Bateman said.
The businessman is expected back in court on February 16.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
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