Tempers flared and fists flew in Port Alfred on Sunday afternoon when an angry jet ski rider attacked surfers who tried to tell him not to drive recklessly near young bathers. Daily Dispatch journalist and Sunshine Coast surfer David MacGregor was on the beach enjoying a typical Sunday at Port Alfred’s popular East Beach when the mood quickly turned for the worse. Below is his report on the altercation.
ROAD RAGE ON KOWIE HIGH SEAS
Tempers flare and fists fly over beach safety
by David MacGregor
Emotions are running high at popular East Beach – one of the premier surf spots on the Sunshine Coast – after Joburg businessman Rudi van der Westhuisen ignored pleas to move further down the beach and attacked complaining surfers instead.
The Daily Dispatch and several other beach goers saw the burly jet skier punch one surfer in the chest before attacking another when he too complained about alleged public drinking and reckless driving in the surf zone.
Mike Varela was left with a bloodied mouth after he was hit in the face, headbutted and wrestled to the ground in a headlock before other surfers jumped in and restrained van der Westhuisen.
The situation almost spiralled out of control when an elderly gentleman – who said he was van der Westhuisen’s father – grabbed a tazer and tried to zap surfers who were trying to break up the fight.
Eyewitness John Burman yesterday confirmed he had officially complained to police about van der Westhuisen’s behaviour. These included reckless and dangerous driving, two counts of assault and public drinking.
Police are also investigating claims that van der Westhuisen’s off duty policeman friend, warrant officer Reinhardt le Roux – who was on the beach with him at the time – had tried to tell black township police who responded to the call to leave as the area did not fall under their jurisdiction.
During heated discussions with a posse of police and security guards in the car park, van der Westhuisen openly challenged surfers he was disagreeing with to come behind the dunes and fight it out.
“It was a horror story,” Burman complained.
Tensions between van der Westhuisen and the surfers have been simmering for years over the way he drives and also his ongoing refusal to jet ski elsewhere.
He yesterday said the fight broke out when he got tired of the “yap, yap” of the complaining surfers. He however denied drinking alcohol or attacking anyone – claiming he was defending himself instead.
“All these guys are talking kak, I have jet skied at East Beach for 22 years and was not breaking any laws.”
Angry Port Alfred mother Pania Heny said besides openly drinking alcohol on the beach, van der Westhuisen displayed “hooligan behaviour” by driving recklessly on his jetski near her children.
Visiting surfer Stuart Shelver said he was very concerned for the safety of his 11 year-old son Tim during a brief surf on their way home to Jeffrey’s Bay.
“My little eleven year old was extremely scared of this jet-ski, and wanted to get out of the water.
“If it was not for the altercation that happened when the surfers asked this guy to stop riding amongst the surfers, we would have gotten out of the water and gone home.”
He said the incident brought back memories of an accident a few years back when a young Johannesburg business man was killed by a jet ski on the main beach.
“Behaviour of this kind is a real danger and threat to the safe use of the beach for everyone.” He said the jet skier could easily have moved down the beach.
Police spokesman Lt Luvuyo Mjekula yesterday confirmed they had launched an internal investigation into the incident.
Attempts to get Ndlambe Municipal comment proved fruitless at the time of going to press.
Totally disgraceful behavior by the jetski guy. lock him up.
fokken bonehead
evolution has failed us
stupid dutch vaalie doos
I agree that he’s faggot, vaalie, doos, thats shouldn’t even be allowed to use his Jetski in the Vaaldam, but please, no point in calling him a dutch since there’s millions of us Afrikaners that surfs and would break this guys’ nose without thinking twice – I mean, boere are known to throw bigger fights than any Souties!!!…. haha. Peace bru!
well said mate. The guy is a f*cken a$$hole, who happens to be afrikaans. Every culture and race in South africa seems to have far too many of these types clearly.
Hey, I am an a$$hole and I think I speak on behalf of all a$$holes out there when I say that we would prefer it to not be associated or labelled with the same brush as this Rudi van der Westhuisen guy… lets not generalise… please…
Also no point calling him a faggot or a Vaalie Ikke – makes you as prejudiced as Chris.
The tjop in the article is obviously a bit of a simpleton who has offended you, me and numerous other people I am sure. Yet somehow you feel it is okay to offend millions. Not cool dude… eish. Polarizing stuff.
Chris, u stupid not-a-vaalie pommy doos…. Stereotyping much???
what a twat!
this needs a reverse 360 skeg to the face! “accidental” it may be deemed! what an utter tosser, you can just see it!
what a boet.someone should cull these idiots.
What a doosh!
Presumably this idiots holds a skippers ticket to be able to drive the jetski, in which case he should know that it is illegal to drive his vessel within 100m of the beach or people in the water…
white crash, jerry springer
Someone please buy him a bra, my eyes are burning.
Welcome @ Warner Beach any time boet bring the taser should level the playing fields
“All these guys are talking kak, I have jet skied at East Beach for 22 years and was not breaking any laws.” You think after 22 years of jetskiing East beach this pr1ck would have realized he was infact breaking the law regarding the use of a jetski within a deemed bathing area. Time to stop this belligerent s#ithead and put his ass is jail for a while. Please dont woes out coppers.
Great community policing. Thanks guys. Let’s hope he gets a ban on his stupid jet ski.
Tie his boep to the west pier and give the seagulls a feed. What a chop. Ban jetskis on east beach.
The face of the the thinking man of the 21st century. I bet he does road-rage too.
Fat boy, don’t try that in Cape Town. You will get properly f@#ked up. Oh, and by the way just in case you werent aware, chicks hate man boobs….
Just got forwarded a link to this story from a
friend in Switzerland. Not great for tourism in SA.
South Africa the wild west……..where else in the
world could an idiot drink brandy and drive a jetski at a crowded beach to
impress the chicks.
Don’t know what’s more terrifying…… the fact
that this guy’s been doing it for 22 years or that his Pa takes a tazer to the
beach.
First class wanker, I would’ve taken a trip behind the dunes with that fat phuk.
Unfortunately you have the same problem with boneheads on their quads in the Kei over holliday season. Nothing like a Dop and a tjop before climbing onto a missile that can kill someone if out of control….. jislaaik dis moer lekker fun, net soos die dam op die plaas!.
How’s his toppie fisting up to the surfer in the Rip Curl suit?
At least Timmo came out of the ordeal unscathed and enjoyed his surf!
Rokspider alert. South Africa is one of those unlikely places where trailer-trash own jet-skis, and assholes become millionaires through illegal bouncing companies.
what a savage, send him to the dogs, where he belongs
ja fokken bonehead – love booze and violence – klaps his kids and wife too
chris, bringing in the terms “dutch” & “vaalie” puts you in the same category of basically being an idiot – no need for that! can’t believe there wasn’t anybody tough enough to sort the beer belly out 🙁
Oi! You get idiots from all walks of life. I agree with you lot completely; the guy was an asshole and deserved to be punched in the nose, but the Afrikaans name-calling makes you the bigot.
What a DOUCHE
Jet skis arnt allowed on the river beyond the Nico Milan(spelling?) bridge. So why dont they enforce no jet ski zones on the beach too? Surely you cant be allowed to play in the waves around surfers/bathers?
hhaha what a knuckle-dragger!!
take a vaalie out his natural habitat and that’s what you get, just hope at least one the surfers gave him a solid pk
no it looks more like the vaallie gave your surfers a hiding
Am I the only one that finds the image of these neoprene clad men, all on top of each other, erotic? grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
dumbass vaalies always have to ruin it for us coastals don’t they
Regte DWAAS met twee “OO’s”!
seems like everyone is tough and name calling, i’m juming in too… hayh jet ski guy; YOU BLADDY STAND UP PADDLE BOARDER!!!
enuf said! 🙂
DC
Doos!
Very sad for all those who have worked so hard to promote South Africa in a good light for so long … This is now being seen worldwide… not a shinning example for SA, I know that we are have this sort of people, it just a shame that they cannot see the damage they do acting like this…
you have just wrote the biggest load of shit do you seriously think this is going to have any impact on what the world thinks of this pathetic country ?????????
Big tummy, big boobs and a small little willy… also looks like he is being held back from the buffet table by that old guy. Other shirtless telling him off, you have had enuf and could get a tummy ache. guy with glasses just double checking they defo outta apple pie and guy in blu just thinking what we all are. “wot a poes”
dumb bone head , well done mike and others , seen that idiot out there before, he puts all those swimming and surfing there in danger .
fat fuck , localism have a place even if it’s just to put vaalies in their place , someone tune this chop j bay good place for jet ski
Naai may bru.
Thug life
That guy should be rasool Hendricks’ tow partner
we gonna have a nice chat Dave
Silly fat hond se kont… Leave the coast and never come back you dangerous pole smoker!
All this debate in the past about surfers and “locals” being the hazards of the beach… Perhaps we NEEDED this special person to open the eyes of the community to see that we’re infact a mellow people who were the only ones to stand up to this kook to ensure to safety of EVERYBODY, not just those enjoying the line-up! Cheers to those riders for having the balls to place this citizen. regardless of who drew blood.
I was there, its a pity it had to get violent and aggressive there were kids on the beach, that should not have had to see that. The jet ski guy’s own kid was swimming and playing with our kids, all fine, until he got angry and wanted to fight, after being shouted at to get out the area. He could have listened and moved, yet chose to fight. Other local jet ski riders in PA are cool enough to respect the surfers, not making big wakes that mess up the waves, and stay well away from surfers and swimmers. This guy thinks he is above the law, and makes life unpleasant for everyone. Local jet ski guys want nothing to do with this guy, because they know he is always breaking rules and not adhering to safe riding. The guy may be a Joburg businessman but has been living in PA, full time, for about 2 years now. All I want is that he either agrees to abide by safe riding or his licence should be taken away. Get a life bru !
He must have a holiday house in PA, get a posse together and sort him out. In the absence of real justice, vigilante justice will have to substitute. Burn his jet-ski in the town square for everyone to see, make sure photos of it burning are distributed in Gauteng to serve as a warning for all the other vaalies who like to windgat in our surf. We don’t like you or need you and your ilk in our seaside village. Go home, bullyboy.
Just stumbled across this while looking for something else. Quite an interesting discussion. It seems like the feeling on this site is that some water sports have more right to certain areas than others. This might well be true and should be easy to establish by checking local and national laws.
What is interesting to me though is that most comments seem to suggest violent and or illegal retribution as a solution for this. This seems very odd to me and certainly does not endear the surfing community to me or allow me to sympathise with you. You are complaining because this guy was allegedly violent and abusive by threatening violence and being abusive. Seems rather odd to me.
I am not familiar with this site, but I will have a look around to see what the reactions were a couple of month ago when the mainstream media reported about a local Cape Town surfer that seemed to behave in a very similar manner to this guy.
just stumbled across this site?
ekse my china?we have our own rules and etiquette,if you never surfed,dont start,right?
Last thing we need is another SUP’er smiling amongst us in the lineup bru,never mind a jet skier……
IT straight up dangerous to have a JetSki so close to bathers, especially if the pilot has had a couple of beers in the sun.
People really do need to learn to be less selfish and consider how their actions may impact others before doing stupid stuff like this. It’s too late to say sorry when someone ends up in hospital.
Stupid Hick! I hope he gets what he deserves. I grew up in PA, have seen him do the same thing at Kelly’s beach too – He should have any sort of license revoked and given a little jail time, although I doubt it would make him change his ways.
Regardless if its a bathing area or not,he should keep away from any water users,be it surfers,boogers,sailers etc.
I remember in OZ on the Goldie, bout ‘2K,when towin got popular and the pricks were towing the points on any swell over 5ft in between the paddlers,
the QLD government quickly imposed a 100m clear area from any water user,only took 9 months to gazette.
Its different when its 10ft and paddlers opt for safer options,then its cool to watch.
Why cant a simple rule like that be imposed by local municipalities,
they have it for fisherman casting off the piers in Dbn ,
mind you its questionable as no ones supposed to jump off the piers and surf within 50m as gazetted anyways.
The simple law states that jetski’s and or other motorised boats should be at 200m from ANY bather, surfer or user of the sea that is self propelled. Policing needs to be increased, charges need to be followed up with fines, or punishment.
fucken vaalie… they shouldve bliksemed him more
i doubt the doos reads zigzag,so lets all reply to him on the website given above,,LOL
The knob is obviously not man enough on his ski and needs to ride it in the safer water of the bathing area! I hope you locals never let him park or launch his boat there ever again without dishing out the same amount of strond he deserves.
What a prize tjop. Hopefully he gets slapped with a big fine and gets his jetski confiscated for a while. Public Nuisance.
When it comes to jetski riders, they are mostly towtruckers with extra money. No respect for the rules of the road/ocean/dam and a propensity towards violence and intimidation. Sad but true
Rudi, dickhead!
Klippdrift and Coke with a jetski and farmer dad on your side … bad combination boet…. you dont have a license for the Jetski first of all … Drinking on the beach ….. personal assault on the public and worst of all you fighting in front of your kids…. what a great example of a father …. well maybe you cant help it as it seems asif your dad taught you well….. i feel for your kids Boet …. Go back to the Vaal dam!!!
Shocking that this adult (male??) can make anonymous death threats against those that stood up to him. What kind of person is this?
what a chop
This happens at PE’s New Pier /Hobie Beach all the damn time .
This fat dufus is a marked man by all SA surfers that is a promise .
If you see him start mucking about with his car -tires down ,wax on his windscreen ,sand in his radiator – he will vacate and piss off .
To all wave runner muppets intent on being 100m from swimmers or surfers you are fucking with some extremely hard core individuals who have been commited to their lifestyle 200 fold more than you can ever comprehend .
SA Surfers will stick together and we will not take any kak .
FEE, FI, FO, FUM, I SMELL POLICE, MON!
FEE, FI, FO, FUM, I SMELL POLICE, MON!
And more news on this chop, the jetski is only R rated which means it may not be used in the sea with the license it has, SAMSA officials cant find a skippers license for this guy and apparently he told someone he has a learners (baaahaahahaha u cant get a learner moron). And he apparently sold the jetski 3 weeks ago and the new owner is still waiting for it???????
What the hell man?!?!?!?!?!?!
you oke’s are just whinning because you cant afford a jetski and tyhe dutchman gave you locals a hiding you oke’s are always giving people shit on your surfboards
Seems to me that the Vaalie gave the sufers a hiding. They must smoke more “boom” for more guts. One Jetskier nail 6 surfers!!!
Most definitely not me, I am the Rudi that owns EJX – why would you paste my linked profile here.
I a little unsure as to how you link this person to my company other than the fact that he shares a name with me. I’d suggest getting your facts straight before you publish bullshit on the Internet
Where are you ppl from. I as the owner of EJX do not own a jetski I most certainly don’t frequent the kzn coastline. My business further is one of the biggest used car dealers in gauteng it has never been investigated by anyone let alone organized crime. Fuck take two seconds to get your facts right before you slander people you have no idea about.
You dumb shitheads backing up the vallie on a jet ski saying surfers are the ones to blame. How are surfers to blame we have respect for those around us and what possible harm can we do to a guy on a jet ski? And welcome to the 21st century not all surfers smoke “BOOM” as you like to call it, majority of surfers have stable jobs and aren’t the typical stoners you vallies like to lable us as. Hows this for a solution, you vallies and town clowns stick to your farms and concrete jungles and us surfers do what we do best, preserve the ocean and save vallies from drowning in the oceans we love.
They should have beaten the crap out off vd Westhuizen as he is a biggest con artist stealing people’s money and bull shitting he’s way thru live. He stole over 1.4 million rand from us.
What a fat ass bitch.