DA welcomes guilty verdict in coffin assault case

The DA welcomes the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court ruling that the men accused of forcing Rethabile Mlotshwa into a coffin are guilty of attempted murder, amongst other charges.
Throughout the duration of the trial, neither Theo Jackson nor Willem Oosthuizen showed any remorse for assaulting Mlotshwa in what is believed to be a racially motivated attack.
This verdict sends a strong message that racism in any shape or form will not be tolerated in South Africa. It also once again highlights the need for rural safety units to be reinstated for the protection of all those living in outlying areas.
The DA believes that we must strive to build a society that is free of conflict and fear and that all South Africans must stand up against racial hatred and bigotry.
The DA calls for a sentence befitting of this crime so as to once again highlight that racism had no place in South Africa.