Durban – A man who was arrested after a voice recording of him swearing at his stepson went viral, has been granted bail.
The 30-year-old man was granted R1 000 bail in the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Part of his bail is that he is not to communicate with his 6-year-old stepson and the boy’s mother.
The accused, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the child, was arrested in Kharwastan on January 31.
He faces a charge of assault and the ill-treatment of a child in terms of the Children’s Act.
In the 10-minute voice recording, the man hurls profanities at the child over his prolonged use of the toilet and why his school shoes were left in the car.
The child is then ordered to hold his ears and go up and down as a form of punishment.
The child tries to explain himself, but the man continues to call him an idiot and useless.
Videos of the recording has gone viral on social media, with communities outraged at the man’s behaviour.
According to Prem Balram of Reaction Unit SA who lifted the lid on the abuse, the child was removed from the home by social workers and remains with his biological father.
The matter was adjourned to March 6 for further investigation.
IOL