Police in South Africa’s Free State province are investigating an alleged assault of two black teenagers by a group of white men at a resort facility 20 kilometres outside the city of Bloemfontein on Christmas Day.
A video showing the altercation has gone viral on social media in which a group of white men were seen attacking the boys in an apparent attempt to make them not use the swimming pool at the resort.
Police spokesperson Makhele Motantsi said police officers responded to the incident at a holiday resort in Bloemfontein in the afternoon.
A case of common assault was under investigation and the docket would be submitted for a decision regarding prosecution, Motantsi said.
However, the boys’ unnamed father was disappointed an assault case was opened and not one for attempted murder.
“One of the guys tried to drown my boy. That is attempted murder and it should have been registered so. But the police told us they are only opening an assault case,” the father said.
Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela has condemned the alleged racist incident and instructed the provincial minister responsible for tourism and environmental affairs to deal with the matter “with all the urgency it deserves,” according to her spokesperson Palesa Chubisi.
NM/jn/APA