A Port Elizabeth man who allegedly stabbed a sleeping car guard to death near the beachfront has claimed he acted in self-defence because he thought the victim would hurt him.
Sivuyile Batyi, 36, who has no fixed address, appeared in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court to face a murder charge relating to the death of the 34year-old car guard, known only as “Boere”.
Batyi has rejected an offer to be legally represented, saying he wants to enter a guilty plea.
He gave a detailed statement with regard to how the alleged incident took place on May 25 at Shark Rock Pier.Batyi said that before the attack he had been asleep when he was approached by a man who ordered him to stop sleeping at that particular spot otherwise he would hurt Batyi.
The next morning, Batyi said, he got up and was walking along the beachfront when he saw the man who had approached him earlier, sleeping. He stabbed him in the neck.
On Friday, Batyi told the court he had acted in self-defence “because I knew the deceased had a firearm and I thought he would do something to me later”.
At the time of the attack, the car guard did not have identity documents on him.
The court rejected Batyi’s defence, saying his life had not been in danger.
The matter was postponed to November 28. Batyi has been remanded.