A group of former Selborne College pupils are reaching out to SABC TV and radio presenter Samora Mangesi who was brutally assaulted after offering to assist people whose car had broken down last weekend.
On Wednesday, Mangesi, a former Selborne pupil, took to Twitter, saying he had been the victim of a racially-motivated attack on the West Rand last Friday night.
“After stopping to check on a group of young white people whose car had overturned, they called my friends and me ‘monkeys’.
“When we engaged them on why we were being called this, they beat me up until I was unconscious,” tweeted Mangesi, who was born and raised in Mdantsane.
He further claimed that even when he was in the ambulance, one of his attackers tried to run over his friend with his bakkie, forcing the paramedics to intervene.
Mangesi was knocked unconscious after he was allegedly kicked and punched, suffering injuries to his face, cuts inside his mouth and bruising along the left side of his body.
Mangesi opened a case against his unknown attackers, armed with vehicle registration numbers, photos and videos.
On learning of the attack, John Cupido, himself an Old Selbornian and president of the Border-Kei Chamber of Business, began discussions with two other, Johannesburg-based old boys on how they might assist Mangesi.
Cupido, who is also a former DA MP, was recently elected as the chairperson of the East London branch of the Old Selbornian Association.
“We are reaching out to him to see if we can help in any way. As an Old Selbornian, he is part of a lifelong brotherhood.
“Our first thought is to help a fellow Old Selbornian in any way we can,” he said.
“We don’t know his exact circumstances, whether he might need logistical assistance, with medical aid or things of this nature, but we want to help.”
The other two Selbornians seeking to help Mangesi prefer not to be identified at this stage.
Cupido himself was reluctant to speak to the Dispatch as they did not want this to be seen as a publicity event in any way.
“Selborne has a very strong post-school network, and we are often in a position to assist our fellow Old Selbornians.
“We are proud of our fraternal bond, and want to protect one another when needed.”
In 2010, Mangesi, then 17 and a Grade 11 pupil at Selborne, organised the Bobby M Heritage Day Arts and Culture Festival.
He roped in his peers in the arts from Hudson Park, Cambridge, Stirling, Clarendon and West Bank high schools, as well as Selborne College, to put on a show for East London.
The arts fest showcased young talent in dance, poetry and drama. At the time, Mangesi said the plan was to showcase talent in East London to promote the performing arts.
Mangesi joined celebrity lifestyle magazine show The Real Goboza in 2018. He previously presented the Hectic Nine show...