Middelburg — A seven year-old workplace dispute has resurfaced in the Middleburg Regional Court, where former storeman Jabulani Frans Mtshali accused his ex-manager of assaulting him.
Mtshali alleges that on 14 June 2018, Michael Roodt, employer and owner of HMI Lineboring Engineering, instructed him to check tools in the storeroom. When Mtshali could not find the tools, Roodt allegedly became aggressive, punched him, and caused him to fall on a steel beam.
The incident was reported to the police on the same day and Mtshali was referred to a hospital for treatment. However, the following day, Roodt phoned him and allegedly offered R1,000 to drop the case, citing stress over his mother’s critical illness at the time.
Mtshali accepted the money but refused to withdraw the complaint. From that moment, he says he has faced intimidation, threats and finally came a dismissal.
Represented by the National Union Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), he took the matter to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), which ruled in his favour. After the company declined to reinstate him, he was awarded a settlement offer of R23,000.
Despite the award, Mtshali says the ordeal has left him permanently injured and now survives on a disability grant.
He is unable to cope with the demands of most jobs.
A brief attempt to work as a security officer briefly ended due to persistent pain. Roodt has sabotaged his chances of finding new employment, Mtshali alleges. “He told me that he runs Middelburg and whenever companies call him for references, he speaks badly about me.”
Roodt appeared in the Middelburg Regional Court on 05 September 2025, facing a charge of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The case was postponed to 28 October 2025.
Mtshali is seeking compensation for financial losses incurred through medical appointments and demands either ongoing financial support until retirement age or medical assistance to manage his condition.
Roodt denied ever assaulting Mtshali. He said he preferred to let the court process run its course before fully presenting his side of the story.
“This guy has already told his side in other newspapers, but it’s not the truth,” Roodt said. “I will prove in court that he is contradicting himself. He told the police one thing and told the media another.”
Roodt claimed Mtshali had a history of opening cases against companies he previously worked for, accusing him of attempting to make money through repeated complaints. “The police even told me this guy has opened numerous cases. He just wants money, but I will not pay him,” alleged Roodt.
He also dismissed the bribery accusation. “He says I paid him R1,000, but where is the evidence? No bank notification, no proof at all. It never happened.”
Roodt claimed that some of the staff wanted to strike to remove Mtshali from the company and pointed to medical reports that allegedly found no bruises or visible injuries on Mtshali after the reported incident.
“I am not afraid of court. I have been running my business for 21 years and I have nothing to hide. I will win this case and I will also sue the State for putting it back on the roll after it was withdrawn in 2021,” Roodt said.
Elvis Ngwenya, a former coworker of another alleged victim, has come forward, saying he has witnessed his former colleague who was also allegedly assaulted by Roodt on 26 November 2020.
Like Mtshali, Ngwenya claims that the colleague was working in the storeroom when the colleague requested tools, which Ngwenya provided. The following day, Roodt found the colleague standing idle and questioned him. The colleague, recalls Ngwenya, reportedly told Roodt he was waiting for Ngwenya to hand over more tools.
Roodt allegedly became furious and insulted the colleague with racial slurs. He then physically attacked him, accusing him of deliberately delaying work. Ngwenya said he immediately reported the matter to the police. However, when he arrived at the station, the male officer assisting him revealed that he had a relative working at Roodt’s company.
The officer then accompanied Ngwenya back to the workshop, leaving behind the female officer who first took his statement.
On arrival, Ngwenya says Roodt greeted the officer warmly, joking that he had come to arrest him. The officer replied that he was only there to hear Roodt’s side of the story.
Roodt allegedly apologised, citing stress and suggested resolving the matter outside of the legal system. He allegedly offered Ngwenya with R500, which he accepted, and withdrew the case.
Ngwenya returned to work, but soon after, Roodt allegedly informed him that he was being retrenched without following proper procedures. Ngwenya says Roodt took him for medical assessments — which revealed that he was not fit — and on this basis, Roodt retrenched him with a R12,000 payout.
But Ngwenya cries foul play regarding his fitness results.
We put Ngwenya’s claims to Roodt, but he said he will not comment further, pending the finalisation of Mtshali’s case.
