The driver of a borrowed Mercedes-Benz has laid a charge of assault against the driver of a blue Maserati, apparently owned at first by a TS Yengeni and then by slain multi-millionaire Brett Kebble, after the two cars collided in Cape Town on January 6.

The driver of the Maserati never identified himself and the car was driven without number plates.

Inquiries made the following day showed that the car was registered to a TS Yengeni of Bishopscourt.

A 23-year-old Cape Town man alleged the driver of Yengeni's car caused the accident, and assaulted and swore at him after getting out of the wreck.

But mysteriously, a week later the Maserati was re-registered to Kebble, who was gunned down on September 27.

Police spokesman Billy Jones confirmed that a case of common assault was reported by the driver of the Mercedes-Benz on January 10.

The accused has been summoned to appear before the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on November 23.

"We are not at liberty to mention the name of the complainant or any person implicated in the case laid by the complainant. The case docket is currently booked out to the Cape Town Magistrate's Court," Jones said.The complainant, who does not want to be identified, said he drove a friend's father's Mercedes-Benz up Buitengracht Street towards Camps Bay just after midnight, with the friend and another passenger, when a blue Maserati turned from Shortmarket Street into the left lane.

The complainant said the Maserati drove a short distance ahead of him, allegedly swerving into the right lane without indicating and bumping the Mercedes off the road four times, causing it to smash into the Maserati's side. Both cars spun, with the Mercedes ending up in front of the Maserati, he alleged.

"The guy in the Maserati tried to reverse, but couldn't, because (of) oncoming traffic. I stayed put and phoned the police.

"When I got out the smartly dressed man got out of his car and started swearing at me. Before I knew it he grabbed me by the shirt - all the buttons popped - and then held me down on the hood of his car," the man alleged.

Soon a Porsche Cayenne SUV and a BMW stopped next to them, filled with what appeared to be a group of the Maserati driver's friends.

One pulled the Maserati driver off the young man and calmed a potential brawl, before taking him aside to ask him what had happened.

Two tow trucks also arrived on the scene. "Suddenly another guy drove off in the Maserati and everyone else left in their cars. We waited for the police, alone, because my car couldn't drive.

"Luckily the tow truck driver wrote down the number on the Maserati's licence disk," he said.

Although he did not recognise his attacker, he and the two tow truck drivers could identify him, the man alleged. "They are witnesses. Without them I probably wouldn't have a case," he said.

After the incident he reported the assault to the police, giving the licence number and a description of the man.

Barely a week later the Maserati, which he was told would be repaired in Port Elizabeth, was found at Vigliettis in Cape Town.

However, it had new number plates registered to Kebble, but with the same engine number, according to Traffic Department records.

The man took photographs of the wreck in the Vigliettis workshop.

A few days later he received a letter from Kebble's insurers, SA Eagle, claiming R250 000 in damages for the accident, he said. The letter was referred to the young man's attorney, who said the case was "dormant", as no claim had been instituted.

He had not received instructions to go ahead and he hadn't heard Tony Yengeni 'doesn't know' about crash from Kebble's lawyers in months, the young man said.

Damage to the Mercedes-Benz was R82 000 and was covered by the owner's insurance.

The young man's lawyer said he was puzzled why the vehicle had initially been registered to Yengeni while the address on its records was Kebble's. "Unfortunately we can't discuss the case as it it sub judice," he said.

The executor of Kebble's estate, Jeffrey Closenberg of Mallinicks Attorneys in Cape Town, was "out of town", his secretary said when the Cape Times tried to contact him.

The Cape Times telephoned former ANC chief whip, Tony Yengeni, who is awaiting the outcome of his appeal against a four-year sentence for fraud, asking him if he knew who the Maserati's owner might be, as the initial owner had the same initials and surname as him.

Yengeni replied, "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know anything about the things you are writing about me", and hung up. Further calls were not answered.

With acknowledgements to Karen Breytenbach and the Cape Times.