South African newscaster Samora Mangesi says he was trying to help a driver from an overturned vehicle when he was called out of his name and brutally attacked.
According to BuzzFeed News, Mangesi was driving home with friends in Johannesburg on Saturday around 1:30 a.m. when he saw a car flipped over on the side of the road. He stopped to offer support when he noticed a man half-stuck inside of the vehicle. Out of the five passengers, four were safely away from the automobile.
“We asked if they were OK, if they needed us to call the cops, or to call a friend. First reaction we got was them saying, ‘Go [away], monkeys,’ in Afrikaans," Mangesi told the publication before noting he and his friends were also called “Black b*****s.”
The Channel Africa 1 and Tru FM host posted a tweet revealing visible scars from the attack.
"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," he captioned the images.
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. pic.twitter.com/E9DOGpPacJ
— SAMORA (@Samora_Mangesi) March 13, 2019
The exchange between Mangesi and the group of white passengers escalated when he questioned why they were calling him derogatory words. He recalled a man who he believes was a friend of the group, came up behind him and hit him in the head with an object which later led to Mangesi losing consciousness.
In another tweet, he explained one of the members tried to run over his friend with their car while he was being put into the ambulance.
"I had to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance. Even whilst I was being put in the ambulance, one of these guys tried to run my friend over with his bakkie and the paramedics had to intervene," Mangesi wrote.
I sustained injuries on my face, cuts inside my mouth and bruising along the left side of my body from when they kicked me on the ground after one of them had hit me on the back of the head. According to EMS I was out for about 5 min and only regained consciousness in the ambi. pic.twitter.com/gfumlii0se
— SAMORA (@Samora_Mangesi) March 13, 2019
The 26-year-old suffered multiple cuts and bruises to his face and body, along with a gash on his forehead. His two friends were not harmed during the incident.
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"I sustained injuries on my face, cuts inside my mouth and bruising along the left side of my body from when they kicked me on the ground after one of them had hit me on the back of the head. According to EMS I was out for about 5 min and only regained consciousness in the ambi [ambulance]," he tweeted.
He noted his memory post-attack was foggy. He said he did not remember being in the ambulance or arriving at the hospital. Mangesi also mentioned questioning whether he should share his story until finding out this was only one occurrence of many. His neighbor, who witnessed the assault, said he experienced the same brutality.
My friend's neighbour who was driving past at the time and witnessed the whole thing says it has also happened to him. So today, I went to the police station armed with only reg. numbers, photos and videos to open a case again my unknown attackers.
— SAMORA (@Samora_Mangesi) March 13, 2019
Mangesi says he is recovering and thanked hospital staff and first responders for their support, along with expressing gratitude to the two female friends who were with him.
I am okay now. Most of the swelling has gone down and seemingly apart from a scar on my chin, a cut on the inside of my cheeck, swelling on my lips and a graze on my left temple, I'm alright. pic.twitter.com/iv1CybFXkM
— SAMORA (@Samora_Mangesi) March 13, 2019
Oh, also… the 2 friends I was with were both female. Shout out to them for the support, EMS, JMPD, SAPS and the staff at Leratong Hospital in Krugersdorp.✌????
These incidences are always seem so far removed until they happen to you. Anyway, this was us, happy a few hours before???? pic.twitter.com/TU4X3yt550— SAMORA (@Samora_Mangesi) March 13, 2019
While no arrests have been made yet, investigation updates are pending.
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