2 days ago
Newsreader now minister's spokesman after road rage drama
Video footage from 17 April shows Sampear shouting at student Laricia Augusto (20) after their vehicles collided in Randburg.
In April 2020, Sampear admitted on Power FM that he had assaulted two previous girlfriends and claimed his mother 'provoked' his stepfather leading to her being abused, drawing criticism for promoting a victim-blaming culture around gender-based violence.
Patricia de Lille says Sampear passed the vetting process with 'no adverse findings' and wasn't charged over the road rage incident, arguing he was sharing his childhood trauma to warn about cycles of violence rather than justifying it.
A well-known television presenter has been appointed to a senior government position after he was previously involved in a road rage incident with a young female student.
A video of the incident on 17 April between Aldrin Sampear, former newsreader for Newzroom Afrika, and Laricia Augusto (20) in Randburg spread like wildfire on social media.
In the video, Sampear shouts at Augusto that she showed him the middle finger while she repeatedly screams: 'Why are you hitting me?'
In the recording, it appears that a black Mitsubishi Pajero SUV and a white Toyota Aygo hatchback collided with each other.
Augusto laid a charge of assault with the police against Sampear, and Newzroom Afrika took him off air for about a month
Upon his return to work in May, after his suspension, Sampear said on air: 'I want to take full responsibility for my actions, although I did not assault the other driver, I believe I should have been more composed and found a way to de-escalate the situation.'
He apologised, expressed his regret and said his actions did not meet his own high standards.
Sampear was also in the news in April 2020. This after he admitted as a presenter on Power FM that he had assaulted two of his previous girlfriends.
This was part of a conversation about gender-based violence in which he said his stepfather had abused his mother and that she had 'provoked' him, News24 reported.
Sampear also said he had outgrown such violent behaviour because he had seen how his father always knew 'how to hold back'.
Critics said at the time that Sampear had promoted a culture with that conversation, where victims of domestic violence get blamed for the situation.
Meanwhile, Sampear announced on air on 31 July that his career at Newzroom Afrika was coming to an end and that he would be joining the department of tourism.
He has been appointed as spokesperson for Patricia de Lille.
De Lille said on Saturday that all proposed appointments go through a vetting process.
There were no adverse findings against Mr Sampear.
Patricia de Lille
Regarding the allegations against Sampear around the road rage incident, De Lille said: 'Mr Sampear was not charged.'
About his revelations on Power FM, De Lille said Sampear had shared his experiences as a child of violence.
'He and his mother were victims of physical abuse. He was not defending or condoning violence, but was instead warning the public through his personal reflections of how the vicious cycle of gender-based violence reinvents itself. It's through (the) children.'
De Lille said she trusts that Sampear's talents will strengthen the department to create jobs, among other things.
