The mother of a North West teenager who was allegedly killed after he stole a sunflower head is demanding R4-million compensation.
Manchibidu Egnes Moshoeu, the mother of Matlhomola Moshoeu, has approached the North West High Court seeking compensation for damage caused by the defendants – Reitvlei Farm, farm owner Fine Karsten, and his accomplices Pieter Doorward and Peter Shutte.
She also demands R10 000 spent on funeral costs after her son’s brutal death in 2017.
In court documents, Moshoeu says her 16-year-old son was with his friend when they stole a sunflower head from Reitvlei Farm.
They ran in different directions when they realised that they were being chased by Doorward and Shutte.
After Matlhomola was caught, he was transported in a bakkie with no canopy while travelling towards Lichtenburg in search of his friend.
Doorward and Shutte traveled in a bumpy road with potholes to transport Matlhomola to Coligny police station.
“The third and fourth defendants undertook to do a citizen’s arrest. In doing so [they] assumed the duty to care and ensure the safety of the deceased,” she says in the court papers.
“Both the third and fourth defendants saw that the initial reaction of the deceased was to flee from the scene when he [was] confronted for trying to steal sunflower heads.
“The third and fourth defendants observed the deceased’s inclination when instructed to get onto the back of the bakkie was to sit in one of the corners closest to the tailgate.
“The defendants should have foreseen that the deceased would attempt to escape from their custody by jumping from a moving bakkie and harming himself in the process.”
Captive found on the road, bleeding
The duo later realised that their captive was no longer at the back of the bakkie and went back to search for him, only to find him across the road bleeding.
It is alleged that instead of using their own phones to call an ambulance, they left Matlhomola with a stranger and traveled to to the police station to ask the police to call an ambulance.
They never went back to the scene to check on Matlhomola.
According to court documents, Doorward and Shutte knew their action may lead to death and they failed to take necessary steps to ensure Matlhomola was not shot at.
“In the circumstances, the defendants ought reasonably and practically to have prevented harm to the deceased and the plaintiff.
“In other words, it is reasonable to expect of the defendants to have taken positive measures to prevent harm.”
Moshoeu is demanding R1-million from each of the four defendants.
Matlhomola’s death led to community members attacking nearby farms. At least three farms were set alight.
