Pilot badly injured in East Rand nightclub incident

[4HolerPoler]

Sad news

Johannesburg - A Johannesburg pilot is in high-care in an East Rand hospital after allegedly being assaulted by bouncers at the Voca Loca nightclub in Boksburg. The 28-year-old man is being treated for serious head injuries and his dad says he might never be able to fly again. The father has asked that his son not be named for fear of retaliation. He says his son was beaten "almost beyond recognition". The pilot's nose, cheekbones and jaw have been fractured and his body is covered in bruises, says the dad, who is also a pilot. He says his son went to the nightclub on Friday night. "For some reason, one of the bouncers hit him while he was inside the club. "Someone picked him up from the dance floor and took him outside. That is the last he can remember." The hospital notified his parents that he had been admitted, and they flew in from Cape Town to be at his side.

"They (the bouncers) know all too well how to hit someone so that it doesn't look that bad. For instance, he hardly bled," his father says. He says he doesn't know why the bouncers would want to hit his son. "One of the first things the police looked for were marks on his knuckles and elbows. "There were none; he didn't hit back."

Police spokesperson Faan Botha says a group of bouncers, contracted by nightclubs to work weekends, are the main suspects. But, he says, no-one has been arrested. According to the farther, the worst is that his son might not be able to fly again. "We have a lot of pilots in our family; it is part of who we are. "If the damage is permanent, he will not be able to fly again and that because a bouncer had been looking for someone to hit."

Our thoughts are with you brother. Be careful out there folks, it's a hard world.

4HP

[Solid Rust Twotter]

One more on an ever increasing list of these incidents.:(

[B Sousa]

Interesting Post and a problem even here in Las Vegas. Bouncers have sort of been given Carte Blanche to whail on folks at the slightest provocation with NO reprocussions. One case happened here recently at a strip bar..
Problem is there is usually no follow up by Law Enforcement as the parties involved had been drinking. There is usually power in numbers and it is always recommended that when finding entertainment in those establishments to not go in alone, and even when you are there in numbers, keep the lip zipped.
In South Africa it has to be worse as there is virtually no Law Enforcement left to do any follow up......on the other hand if its really serious, there are ways to even the playing field...........

[raytheon_aircraft]

this is a sad story, reading things like just upsets me. to think that people will go so far just to throw there authority around. it sickens me to my stomach and someone should take those bouncers to the proper authorities..

a bouncers job is keep the peace and protect others who can protect themselves and get rid of trouble makers so everyone can enjoy there night. NOT BEAT PEOPLE TO A PULP !!! if the odd punch is thrown around then fine that happens. but this is ridiculous. :( :(

[Helifan]

Please provide us the name of the bouncer and his whereabouts so that we can avoid running (god help us) into this loose cannon but more importantly warn our children.

Hope you son recovers quickly to fly once again. My trusted gut feel is that he will be fine.

Heli.

[B Sousa]

Helifan
Im sure your going to have a hard time on getting names. Establishments although they say they will try and help, most times protect these folks as a lot of them are established criminals or in criminal gangs. The establishments are not going to "Rock the Boat".
If you wish to protect those from future problems advise them to go in numbers to these places and keep from getting loud etc... Your playing on their turf.
If someone wishes to just settle this one particular score, that can be done but best not discussed on this forum.....

[poorwanderingwun]

I'm sure that there are plenty of us who would be willing to help out one way or another...

[Gunship]

On the same page (news 24) the headline news was "US Pilot executed in Iraq"

2 pilot's - 2 so different tragic circumstances. :sad:

Hope you recover very quickly mate :ok:

[Skaz]

what about starting a naming and shaming campaign to name the people responsible and the nightclub where it happened.
then boycot them...

[B Sousa]

"naming and shaming campaign to name the people responsible and the nightclub where it happened. "
Ok, let me get this straight. Your going to name someone who has probably been in and out of jail more times than you have been in the cockpit and he will walk around town with his head hanging down??
I must be missing something as ..........I don theeenk so.......
Its either spend money gathering evidence for a civil trail against the Club and the Owners for allowing this behavior or
Identifying the players and "Taking care of Business" on your terms.
As to the Cops, I have little faith.......

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Got to agree with Bert.

Best plan is to avoid those places like the plague and let anyone you have contact with know to do the same. That way you won't be in harms way and they may lose a few customers.

As for direct action, well that's up to you...

Personally, I'd avoid doing that as "justice" in SA has been shown to be biased in favour of the criminal.:rolleyes:

[beckers]

There was a Carte Blanche insert a few months back on very similar incidents. One of the very prominent Bouncer a groups in that insert was the "Elite Bouncers".

Anyway the to give an idea of the severity of this particular beating apparently the guys palette (Sp?) is broken and he has received surgery to relieve pressure on the brain. That is not a beating that is attempted murder!

Hope the guy gets his medical back.

[maxrated]

The owners of these nights clubs should be held criminally liable for the actions of their employees or agents.

If you went into a bank and the bank teller started beating you up, you would have a good case for suing the bank for a gazillion dollars, why does no one hold the club owners liable when these things happen.

Why is it that at the moment in SA, bouncers appear to have an open book policy to satisfly their small brained small ego small d1cked testosterone and steriod pumped chip on shoulder ego's by behaving as if they're above the law.

Hope the pilot dude gets better soon.

Stop this Bullsh1t !!!:mad: :mad: :mad:

[DualDriver]

O.K, so who's the pilot???:confused:

[Rebound]

I agree with Maxrated...take legal action against the club owners.

[mini]

mini had an incident several years ago where he was near a fracas that developed in a pub, heavies came wading in and in their ignorance they decided I was the cause. Rather than escort me from the premises, one of them decided to lay into me, I defended myself which eventually led to a charge of battery, in my case the CCTV footage got me off, if there was no CCTV I was looking at a three year stretch and a civil case which could have cost me huge.

Lesson: make CCTV compulsory for all these places.

[helldog]

Yep very sad thing this. I think people that are employed as boucers should be screened more carefully. When I was saving to come to Africa I took a job as a bouncer. They asked me on the phone how tall I am. When I said six four the guy said "You got the job"

It was trully the worst job I have ever done, everyone wants to start you and you work with some real knobs. I have to say we were a diverse bunch, even a firefighter who needed extra cash. But I must say some of the guys were just itching to hurt someone, they even knew where the blind spots were for the cameras, this place had 250 cameras. I hate the job, I lasted three months. I never once got into a fight or even touched anyone. Except helping a drunk dude up after he fell and split his head open.

Anyway what I am saying is we cant bag all bouncers, some of them may even be out of work pilots. But you should at least have to do a police check to get the job. I am sure some of these guys have been in prison or at least in trouble with the law before.

Get well soon tiger.

[Solid Rust Twotter]

However, if they'd kicked the snot out of you and put you in hospital there would have been no retribution of any kind for them....:yuk:

Makes you want to spew!