South Africa was left reeling with shock and disbelief as news broke of Bongani Fassie being brutally attacked with a panga, a machete-like weapon, in his car. The incident, which occurred during the Easter weekend, has sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, raising questions about safety and security for artists, and the vulnerability of creative spaces.
Fassie, who is the son of the late South African music legend Brenda Fassie and former member of hip hop group Jozi, is reported to be scared to even open a criminal case against his attackers, as he is afraid they might come back to finish him off.
The news of the attack has sent shockwaves through the music community, with artists, celebrities, and friends of the Fassie family expressing their shock, horror, and solidarity. Many have taken to social media to express their outrage and call for justice for Bongani
Speaking to Sunday World on Wednesday, Fassie said he was driving with a friend in the Randpark Ridge, north of Joburg area, when a light-skinned man clad in a hoodie rushed to his car door and hit him on the face with a panga.
Because the window was open, Fassie grabbed the hand of the attacker and tried to fight him off, he explained.
During the fight, said Fassie, the attacker tried to stab him in the chest with the panga but he, once again, grabbed him and jostled to disarm him.
He said during the scuffle, the attacker chopped his arm twice, cutting one of his major veins before fleeing.
Main Image: SNL 24