Father beaten to a pulp in Klerksdorp parking lot brawl dies in hospital
|Published
Hilton Pretorius sustained a brain injury during the assault, allegedly at the hands of Wernich Botha. Picture: Edited by Se-Anne Rall
Hilton Pretorius, 32, who was beaten up in a parking lot in Klerksdorp earlier this month, died on Wednesday morning.
A close family friend confirmed to IOL that Pretorius succumbed to his injuries and died at 8am on Wednesday morning.
Pretorius sustained a brain injury during the assault, allegedly at the hands of Wernich Botha. A second victim, PW Roos, sustained a shoulder injury and a concussion and was discharged from hospital shortly after the attack.
The young father of two suffered very serious injuries, including a cracked skull and bleeding on the brain.
While details around the assault are sketchy at this stage, police spokesperson Colonel Adele Myburgh said Botha was arrested days later after the incident was reported to police.
According to Myburgh, information at police's disposal indicates that Botha allegedly assaulted Pretorius and Roos, 44, in a parking lot at a shopping centre in Doornkruin, Klerksdorp.
Myburgh explained that Botha had been charged with attempted murder; however, it will now be changed to murder following Pretorius’s death.
He also faces a charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and was granted R2,000 bail. He is due back in court on October 19.
IOL