A Twenty one-year-old man has been left brain damaged after he was attacked at a shop in Montclair.

Mark Lotter, an ex-Grosvenor Boys High School pupil was visiting to help his former employer in Jacobs work on a racing car on Saturday, 20 September. While in the area he decided to visit his ex-girlfriend’s home. It is alleged the woman’s new boyfriend William Joubert heard Lotter was visiting and Lotter was asked to leave the home.

Joubert allegedly went after Lotter who was on Kenyon Howden Road and a scuffle ensued in a parking lot. The fight continued into a shop, where Lotter was repeatedly kicked in the head and beaten.

Lotter was admitted to King Edward VIII Hospital and transferred to Albert Luthuli Hospital for emergency brain surgery, to treat bleeding and swelling on his brain. Lotter was in a coma for a week and on a ventilator. He is out of the coma but has brain damage. “He is non-responsive, he moves his limbs but cannot move his right arm. He is unable to eat and is being fed through a tube, he cannot walk or talk or anything. He requires rehabilitation which could take months to years. The doctors cannot say,” said Lotter’s sister Nicolene De Villiers.

Nicolene said the family is under tremendous emotional stress. “We are all shocked that something like this has happened to someone we love so dearly. My son is 11 and has grown up with my brother, he is extremely traumatised. There are just no words to describe what we are going through. I prayed so hard for my brother to stay alive, he did but what kind of a life will he have now.”

Lotter will be transferred Chatsworth Cheshire Rehabilitation Centre once he has had a procedure done to insert a feeding tube into his abdomen. Cheshire home requires monthly payments. Rates are R1,700 a day. This excludes his feed and nappies. “I will be opening an account for Mark on Saturday. Once this is open, I will broadcast banking details and would appreciate everyone to broadcast to raise as much funds as possible. His treatment will cost roughly R60,000 per month.” If anyone is able to assist the family, contact Nicolene on 083-799-9126.

Joubert has been charged with attempted murder. He appeared in Durban Court on Tuesday, 22 September and pleaded not guilty. At his second appearance on Friday, 3 October Montclair SAP’s W/O Rico Naidoo opposed bail. Joubert’s bail was denied and he is being held at Westville Prison.

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