Johannesburg court dismisses Alexi Bizos' appeal against assault conviction
From left, Advocate Gerrie Nel, Monique van Oosterhout, and Advocate Phyllis Voster. Van Oosterhout's former husband, Alexi Bizos, lost his appeal following his conviction of assaulting her.
Image: File
The Johannesburg Magistrate's Court has dismissed Alexi Bizos' application for leave to appeal against his conviction of assault with intention to cause grievous bodily harm following his conviction of assaulting his now former wife, Monique van Oosterhout.
In February, the court sentenced the son of the late Struggle stalwart George Bizos to a R100 000 fine or one year imprisonment, six months' correctional supervision, which includes 20 hours a month of community service at shelters for abused women.
Bizos was convicted last year, more than nine years after punching his ex-wife Van Oosterhout at their Johannesburg home.
AfriForum's Private Prosecution Unit took on the case in 2018 and started the trial in January 2020.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Next
Stay
Close ✕
When handing down the sentence in February, Magistrate Tshepo Twala said Bizos had shown no remorse for his crime and failed to acknowledge the wrongfulness of his actions.
The magistrate said the accused showed no insight into the crime he had committed, nor appreciation of the impact it had on Van Oosterhout.
Advocate Gerrie Nel, head of the unit, argued that because the court rejected Bizos' evidence as that of a 'bad witness' who did not 'leave a good impression' and whose evidence was found to be a 'fabrication', no other court would find his version reasonably possible.
'We repeat our argument that the mendacity of the accused is without equal. His demeanour was one of contempt for the truth and indicative of someone who expects that his word must be accepted because of his standing in society. He is just more equal than others,' said Nel.
He added that Bizos' claim that the magistrate had 'speculated' when reaching his finding was contemptuous.
Magistrate Twala also gave judgment on the unit's application to be awarded costs and ordered that the accused and the National Prosecuting Authority should jointly be responsible for paying the costs of the private prosecution.
Bizos' assault on his wife left her with severe injuries, including six broken ribs. In sentencing Bizos in February, Twala said domestic violence is a scourge that is far too prevalent, which demands robust punishment of the perpetrators.
'You cannot ignore that this was a vulnerable woman who was in the safety of her own home when she was assaulted. Gender-based violence gives the perpetrators power. In this case, the accused assaulted the complainant due to her questioning him, which undermined his authority,' he said.
Bizos, 63, was spared imprisonment because of his age and because he was a first-time offender.
zelda.venter@inl.co.za
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
18 hours ago
- IOL News
The urgent need for whistle-blower protection in South Africa
Chief director for financial accounting at Gauteng Department of Health, Babita Deokaran, was brutally murdered after she raised alarm on large-scale corruption at Tembisa Hospital. Image: File Parliamentarians stated that Babita Deokaran, who exposed corruption at the Gauteng Department of Health, and other whistle-blowers would still be alive if they were protected by the government. These were the sentiments echoed on Friday during a discussion over the strengthening of whistle-blower protection by enacting robust laws that guarantee anonymity, job security, and legal support for individuals who report corruption. Deokaran was the acting chief financial officer at the department and reported on financial fraud and corruption at Tembisa Hospital when she was killed outside her home in August 2021. The Whistle-blower Protection Bill is due to be introduced to Parliament later this year. The Bill follows a recommendation by the State Capture Commission, contained in its report released in 2022, that whistle-blower legislation be amended to provide increased protection. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Visvin Reddy, an MP in the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), stated that the MKP does not run away from corruption, but face it head on. "We don't silence whistle-blowers, we protect them because in a country drowning in lies, the person who tells the truth is the bravest one of all. If Babita Deokaran had spoken out under an MKP government, she would still be alive, protected and not hunted, celebrated and not assassinated. "There are officials in departments who are watching bribes being paid daily, and municipal officials who see tenders being given to cronies while people go without water. They stay silent because they know the risk," Reddy stated. Philip van Staden, Freedom Front Plus MP, said other examples include: Pamela Mabini (murdered), Athol Williams (fled the country), Jimmy Mohlala (murdered), Martha Ngoye (dismissed by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa), and Cynthia Stimpel (dismissed). "These examples clearly demonstrate a significant lack of legal, financial, and psychological support for those who expose corruption in government and elsewhere. The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development's draft document outlining proposed reforms for whistle-blower protection, published in June 2023, has still not been finalised, despite President Cyril Ramaphosa's undertaking to do so in his State of the Nation Address at the beginning of the year," he said. Van Staden believed that South Africa does not have the experience, expertise, intelligence capabilities, and manpower needed to enforce laws. "The significant shortcomings in, among other things, crime intelligence are evident in ordinary criminal cases, which often end in unsuccessful prosecutions," he added. Advocate Glynnis Breytenbach, an MP and member of the DA, said the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has failed to secure a single successful prosecution of a politically connected figure implicated in state capture. Breytenbach said that cases like the Vrede Dairy scandal, the Zizi Kodwa debacle, and the Transnet corruption trial have all collapsed due to incompetence, poor preparation, or basic procedural errors. Corruption has reached epidemic proportions, said EFF MP Thapelo Mogale, adding that President Cyril Ramaphosa himself was involved in the Phala Phala saga where the theft of $4m from his game farm became international news. The stigma of being labelled an impimpi, which refers to a police informer or spy in South Africa, should also be addressed and dismantled in communities, said Thokozani Langa, an IFP MP. Langa added that whistle-blowers should be heroes and not seen as traitors. Marlon Daniels, a Patriotic Alliance MP, said that robust laws should guarantee legal defence for whistle-blowers who face frivolous lawsuits after reporting corruption. Daniels also warned about false allegations and those who want to settle personal scores.
IOL News
19 hours ago
- IOL News
R100 000 reward for information on Mfuleni taxi rank shooting that left four dead and three injured
Police and crime scene investigators at the Mfuleni minibus taxi rank after a tragic shooting claimed four lives and injured three others this morning. Image: Henk Kruger / Independent Media Police have offered a R100 000 reward for information that could lead to the arrest of the gunmen behind a deadly shooting at the Mfuleni taxi rank on Friday morning that left four people dead and three others injured, including a commuter. Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa say the incident took place around 6am at the old taxi rank when two unknown gunmen opened fire, striking seven people before fleeing the scene. 'Of the seven victims, one injured is believed to be a commuter,' said Potelwa. The Western Cape Taxi Violence Unit has since launched a full investigation and is pursuing several leads. No arrests have yet been made, but detectives are pursuing several leads. A reward of R100 000 has been offered for any information that could assist in the investigation. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The shooting, believed to be linked to ongoing taxi-related tensions, has drawn widespread condemnation from both the taxi industry and the provincial government. Mandla Hermanus, chairperson of South African Taxi Council, SANTACO Western Cape, said the industry was 'deeply disturbed' by the violence and called on law enforcement to act swiftly. 'We condemn this brutal and criminal act in the strongest possible terms. There can be no tolerance for violence in our industry or communities,' said Hermanus. 'We urge all operators to remain calm and exercise maximum restraint. This incident must not be allowed to derail the efforts underway to build peace and unity within the taxi industry across the province.' Western Cape Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku expressed sorrow and outrage at the shooting, warning against complacency in the face of growing violence at public transport hubs. 'I am shocked and deeply saddened by this senseless act of violence. We cannot allow criminality to take hold of our public transport spaces and threaten the safety of innocent commuters and workers,' said Sileku. He also called on the public and taxi operators to support the police investigation, saying; 'Those responsible must face the full consequences of the law. We must never become numb to this kind of violence. Behind every life lost is a family, a story, and a future that has been cruelly cut short.' The Western Cape Government reiterated its commitment to commuter safety, stating that violence in and around transport hubs not only endangers lives but undermines efforts to ensure safe and reliable mobility for all residents. 'Disputes must never be resolved through violence. There is no justification for actions that place innocent lives at risk and disrupt critical transport services,' said the Western Cape mobility department spokesperson, Muneera Allie.
Eyewitness News
19 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
Police offer R100k reward for info on deadly Mfuleni taxi rank shooting
CAPE TOWN - Cape Town police said they were hot on the heels of gunmen linked to a mass shooting at the Mfuleni taxi rank on Friday morning. Four taxi operators were shot and killed, while two others and a commuter were injured in the shooting. Police believe that two gunmen were involved in this shooting, and a reward of R100,000 is being offered for information about the shooting. Western Cape police said two of the taxi operators were shot and killed while sitting inside a private car at the taxi rank just after 6am. They then proceeded inside an office where two more taxi operators were shot dead, and two others injured. Deputy provincial police commissioner for crime detection, Bongani Maqhashalala, said the motive could be related to taxi routes. "Here, we've been monitoring the routes as well as Somerset. However, when the matter is planned and takes place as this one early in the morning, unfortunately, we managed to miss this one." Crime scene experts are still combing the area for more clues.
