Advocate faces damages claim after ‘road rage’

THREE months after Pretoria resident Conrad Pretorius was allegedly stabbed in the neck and leg by an acting judge and senior advocate, he has filed a damages claim at the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, against the well-known jurist.

This claim relates to an incident on August 1 following an alleged road rage incident.

Pretorius alleged that advocate Roeloff du Plessis, 60, attacked him. This week, summons was served on Du Plessis.

It is not known at this stage what amount in damages Pretorius is claiming. According to Afriforum, which is assisting him in his legal battle, Du Plessis has not yet responded to the summons.

Du Plessis, however, yesterday said that he would most definitely defend the civil action. He said he did not want to comment at this stage on the merits of the case as the civil action was pending and because Pretorius was facing a criminal trial following the incident.

Pretorius appeared again in the Hatfield Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday on charges of assault. The matter was postponed to January 11.

According to Pretorius, he and his wife were driving in Menlo Park when they encountered the advocate at an intersection where the traffic lights were not working.

It is alleged that an altercation ensued which resulted in Du Plessis chasing Pretorius through the streets of the suburb for about 5km before blocking him in a cul-de-sac.

It is further alleged that Pretorius and Du Plessis alighted from their vehicles, and a confrontation occurred. Pretorius alleges that Du Plessis stabbed him in the neck with a sharp object, whereafter a struggle ensued, during which he was also stabbed in his leg.

Du Plessis said the allegations against him were pure defamation, and he would not tolerate them. “I will definitely act against anyone who defames me,” he said.