|
Shaik in mosque assault |
| Publication |
Sunday Times |
| Date | 2011-03-13 |
| Reporter |
Suthentira Govender Subashni Naidoo |
| Web Link | www.timeslive.co.za |
'I felt violated ...
It's the first time in my life that someone has hit me'
Shaik caused a commotion at a Durban mosque after lunch time on Friday when
he allegedly assaulted a distraught father on his way to attend to his
gravely ill daughter.
This is the second incident in less than three weeks in which Shaik has been
accused of assault. His alleged attack on a Durban journalist last month
prompted the parole board to demand a meeting with him at which he is
expected to explain his actions.
Yesterday Shaik declined to comment on Friday's incident, saying: "I've got
no comment on that man."
Barely two hours after Friday's alleged assault, Mahomed Ismail, 42, spoke
to the Sunday Times. He said was traumatised by the incident.
"I felt violated ... as if I was raped. It's the first time in my life that
someone's hit me. I'm still shaken," he said.
"I wanted to lay a charge but after talking to my wife I realised we didn't
need further trauma in our lives," said the accountant.
Ismail left the noon prayer session at the Masjid Al Hilal mosque in
Overport after doctors called him to assist with his five-year-old daughter,
who suffers from nephrotic syndrome, a condition in which damaged kidneys
leak large amounts of protein.
But when the burly Ismail - he is 1.97m tall and weighs 130kg - tried
leaving the mosque grounds, his way was blocked by an unoccupied Chrysler
Jeep parked on the driveway, blocking the car park exit.
The Sunday Times established, from the registration plate, that the 2001
Jeep was registered to Kobifin Group, a company owned by the Shaik family.
A frustrated Ismail sat in his Mercedes-Benz for about 15 minutes waiting
for the owner of the Jeep to emerge.
"My daughter's doctor had phoned me because they could not get a drip into
her hand. They had been trying since 6am ... and were now bringing a nurse
from ICU to insert the drip. I became very concerned when I heard that. I
wanted to be there for my little girl ... this was an emergency," he said.
For the past week Ismail has sat by his daughter's bedside from 4am until
midnight at a top Durban hospital.
Shaik eventually emerged from the mosque and went to the Jeep. "There was no
apology ... so I hooted," said Ismail.
An "enraged" Shaik got out of the vehicle, said Ismail, walked over to
Ismail's car and confronted him. Ismail was still seated inside.
"He asked me what the problem was. He was enraged, red in the face."
Ismail said he grew angry in return and retorted: "How the hell do you park
like that ... what type of Muslim are you?"
He said he told Shaik his daughter was in hospital and that he desperately
needed to leave.
A heated argument ensued. Shaik allegedly reached into the Mercedes and
slapped Ismail across the face.
"He started punching me. He just pounded at me. It's the first time in my
life that someone's hit me."
Ismail said about three bystanders who had attended the prayer session
managed to drag Shaik away. By that time, a small crowd had gathered.
Shaik "told me that, as a Muslim, I should not be rushing to the hospital
but I should be in the mosque praying", said Ismail.
Shaik was still trying to lunge out at Ismail.
"Every time the guys pulled him away he came back to hit me. I was too
stunned."
Shaik then stormed off, jumped into his Jeep and drove away. Bystanders told
Ismail who Shaik was, and about the influence he wielded.
"That was no sick man who hit me. He was very much alive and forceful," said
Ismail.
Bystanders and worshippers at the mosque refused to speak to the Sunday
Times about the incident.
Shaik was released from Westville Prison two years ago this month on the
basis that he was "in the final stages of terminal illness" suffering from
severe cardiovascular problems and organ damage.
Yesterday opposition parties demanded that the Department of Correctional
Services investigate Shaik for assault against Ismail. Shaik is already
being investigated by the police and correctional services for allegedly
attacking a female journalist at the Papwa Sewgolum Golf Course in Durban.
Shaik is alleged to have grabbed her throat, slapped her on both cheeks and
asked her if she was a "terrorist".
Correctional services officials have said before that Shaik would be sent
back to prison if found guilty of assault.
Shaik, who was once President Jacob Zuma's financial advisor, has violated
his parole conditions once already.
The Minister of Correctional Services, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, warned that
he would be sent back to jail the next time he breached his conditions.
Shaik was released on medical parole in March 2009 after serving two years
and four months of a 15-year sentence, for fraud and corruption - spending
most of that time in hospital due to high blood pressure, depression and
chest pains.
In December that year, he had four hours cut from his six-hour weekly free
time allocation after he was spotted shopping in Durban outside his
permitted free time. In August last year, correctional services reinstated
his free time, which is in addition to the four hours he is allowed on
Fridays to attend prayers.
With acknowledgements to Mzilikazi wa Afrika, Stephan Hofstatter and Sunday Times.
The punch might be mean,
but it is puny in comparison with the top cover he wields.
And the tautness of his brothers' clenches on a wide range of otherwise
powerful gonads.