Convicted fraudster and President Jacob Zuma's former financial adviser Schabir Shaik has been accused of assault after allegedly striking a caddie with a golf club in Durban, the Mercury reported on Monday.
Shaik denied the allegation calling it baseless, according to the newspaper.
Shaik was with his private physician Salim Gaffoor at the Papwa Sewgolum Golf Course three weeks ago when the incident allegedly took place.
The caddie, who did not want to be named, told the newspaper Shaik beat him with a wedge, trampled him with the spikes of his golf shoes, slapped him and called him a "k***".
He admitted that during the incident, he retaliated and called Shaik a "coolie".
Gaffoor told the newspaper that Shaik had only "pushed" him and that the caddie was "rude" and "arrogant".
"He is making a big issue out of nothing … it was nothing major," said Gaffoor.
'He offered me R500'
The police were called to the scene by another golfer.
The caddie had opened a case at the Sydenham police station and was taken there by the officers who were at the course. A police officer at the station contacted Shaik's driver while allegedly convincing the caddie not to pursue the matter.
"He [the police officer] gave me the phone and said someone wanted to speak to me," said the caddie.
It was Shaik's driver, who was on his way to the station.
"A few minutes later, the driver arrived. He asked me what could be done to make the matter go away. I said 'nothing', but then he offered me R500," the caddied was quoted as saying.
He took the money and left.
Allegedly slapped by Shaik
In 2011, a Sunday Tribune journalist was allegedly throttled and slapped by Shaik when working on a story about him playing golf while on parole.
A complaint was laid, but there was not enough evidence to prosecute. A few weeks later, Shaik was accused of assault at a mosque after he allegedly slapped and punched a man after an argument about parking. Nothing came of the incident.
Shaik was convicted of fraud and corruption in 2005 but served only two years and four months of his 15-year-sentence before being released on medical parole. – Sapa