San and Khoi leader convicted of assault after forcing cyclists off road
· Citizen
A 47-year-old San and Khoi traditional leader has been found guilty on charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and common assault after forcing two cyclists off the road while driving in his BMW.
Wayne Pietersen, who also serves as a Councillor at the Kouga Local Municipality, appeared in the Humansdorp Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, where the verdict was handed down.
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Evidence
Pietersen was convicted following an incident that occurred on 29 June 2024 in Papiesfontein, within the Sarah Baartman District, where he assaulted two people during an altercation involving cyclists travelling through a public nature reserve in the Kouga area.
Evidence presented before the court established that Pietersen confronted the cyclists after driving towards them in a black BMW SUV, forcing them off the roadway.
During court proceedings, Pieterson maintained that he believed the cyclists were trespassing on land occupied by members of the Khoisan community and cycling over what he regarded as his forefathers’ graves.
Assault
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said acting on these beliefs, Pietersen forcefully grabbed one complainant by the arm under the pretext of effecting a citizen’s arrest.
“He subsequently armed himself with a stick (knobkierie) and confronted another complainant, causing the complainant to sustain injuries after falling from his bicycle.”
State Prosecutor Siyabulela Swartbooi led evidence from multiple witnesses, including the complainants, an eyewitness, and a medical practitioner who compiled the J88 medico-legal report.
Allegations
In his defence, Pietersen, who conducted his own legal defence, denied the allegations and alleged that the matter was linked to an ongoing land dispute involving members of the Khoisan community occupying the land in question.
Tyali said Pieterson maintained that his actions were motivated by concerns over alleged unlawful access to the property.
“The court rejected the accused’s version and found that the State had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Delays
The case against was marred by delays during the proceedings, with Pieterson making several procedural requests, including a request for a Khoisan-speaking interpreter to translate the proceedings.
However, the court heard that he neither spoke nor understood the language.
Bad conduct
The court further noted Pieterson’s conduct throughout the trial was frequently disruptive, repeatedly interjecting during testimony and argument, and making several outbursts relating to race and other extraneous matters irrelevant to the issues before the court.
Tyali said that despite being cautioned on multiple occasions, Pieterson’s conduct persisted, which the court found reflected a lack of respect for the judicial process.
“The court emphasised that legal proceedings are governed by evidence and legal principles and are not a platform for unrelated grievances.”
Following the conviction and before the sentencing arguments, Pieterson again displayed disruptive conduct in court, including making further racial remarks and indicating that he was unwilling to proceed, as he did not accept the court’s findings.
NPA warning
The matter was initially postponed to 02 June 2026 after Pieterson indicated that he had since placed an attorney on record.
The NPA reiterated that no person, regardless of position or status, may take the law into their own hands, unlawfully detain individuals, or assault members of the public under the guise of protecting property, cultural claims, or enforcing perceived rights.