Cape Town butchery shut down after 17-year-old hospitalised from drinking acid in alleged prank

A Mitchells Plain butchery has been shut down pending a police investigation after a 17-year-old was hospitalised when he was allegedly tricked into drinking acid from a cool drink bottle on the premises.

Police spokesperson Anelisiwe Manyana said the incident occurred on Sunday.

“Lentegeur police are investigating an attempted murder case following an incident that occurred on Sunday at about 12:20pm at a butchery in Mitchells Plain,” said Manyana.

The teen was allegedly the victim of a prank in which he was encouraged to drink a liquid from a cool drink bottle, later found to contain acid.

“He got cramps and vomited and was thereafter admitted to a medical facility to receive medical treatment,” Manyana added.

The case was reported by a family member the following day.

Police have since shut down the butchery as part of the investigation.

“Subsequently the butchery was closed pending further investigation. No arrest has been made,” said Manyana.

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not confirmed who was responsible for the alleged prank.

Butchery management said they were advised not to comment yet to protect the dignity of the staff member and his family.

Lentegeur Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Michael Jacobs said they have spoken to the station commander and that CCTV footage would need to be viewed and statements of employees taken.

National Coloured Congress (NCC) member and community leader Shahiem van Nelson added a meeting was held on Monday opposite the butcher to calm residents after they expressed their anger.

Van Nelson said: “We calmed the community down because the building had nothing to do with what transpired there. Mitchell’s butchery has been long in the community; they have been serving this community for very long.

“We also have community members that are working there and if anything should happen to the butcher itself our people will be sitting without work.”

"We as a community made a collection for the mother and father to travel everyday to hospital and we really have to thank the community."

Cape Times