'K-word' attack outside Durban pub leaves friends 'covered in blood'

KwaZulu-Natal police are investigating a case of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm against a group of men who allegedly threw punches and racial slurs at a Durban man on Saturday.

Ndumiso Shezi and his friend Kristen Cheney were leaving a pub in Hillcrest when a group of men and women confronted them.

"They started swearing at me for no reason. I only knew one person in the group and we had no previous issue‚ so it came as a shock‚" Cheney told SowetanLIVE on Tuesday.

"My friend Shezi then told them not to talk to me like that‚ when they pounced on him."

She alleged that as the men punched Shezi‚ they called him the "k-word".

Cheney managed to get Shezi into her car and fled to her parents' home. "I had to get out of there‚ but the group kept punching my car. My car has dents on it. When we got home‚ I discovered that both Shezi and I were covered in his blood‚" she said.

Cheney's father took Shezi to hospital‚ where he was treated and discharged.

She believes the attack was racially motivated as she was told that the men were not happy to see her with Shezi. "They had no other reason to confront me. I don’t know them and I had no problems with them‚" she said.

"When we arrived at the bar‚ the bouncer came up to Shezi and asked if we were OK because he had heard a group of men talking about us. It was the same group that had attacked us."

Shezi was not immediately available for comment.

Police spokesman Lt-Col Thulani Zwane confirmed that a case of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm was being investigated by Hillcrest police.

"It is alleged on February 10‚ the victim was about to leave the parking lot at Old Main Road with his friend when they were approached by the suspects. The victim was assaulted and he sustained injuries on the mouth and face‚" he said.