Two other suspects were released on warning on Wednesday, 28 December after they had been arrested and appeared in court. 

The third suspect, charged with attempted murder, spent the night in police custody. 

Meanwhile, Provincial EFF Chairperson, Mapheule Liphoko says his party is “disturbed and disgruntled” by the release of two of the three suspects following the alleged racist attack. 

He alleges they received preferential treatment as they were arrested and immediately appeared in court, before being released shortly thereafter.

Liphoko also expressed his disappointment in the conduct of police members handling the matter discreetly.

"We welcome the charges that were instituted especially that of attempted murder. 

"We also are taken slightly aback and actually are disgusted by the actions of the police not allowing anyone to know that they have made arrests when they promised to inform us when they make arrests.

"We are slightly taken aback by that and they quickly took [these alleged racists] to court and some of them got out with warning, without us making our plight known to the court and that acted in their advantage. 

"We see that as white privilege coming from the SAPS itself,” he said.

Liphoko said that the alleged transgressions of the suspects go beyond the swimming pool incident. He claimed it was part of a long history that continues “to undermine black identity and make it abnormal, insufficient and uncivilised”.

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Free State police spokesperson, Motantsi Makhele, said after the police obtained statements from people at the resort, the docket was presented to the senior state prosecutor who then gave a directive that the charge could be changed to attempted murder. 

He said the approach of the investigator was to investigate to arrest, and not to arrest and investigate afterwards.

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The ANC in Mangaung said they view the incident as “particularly unfortunate” and “deserving of unambiguous condemnation”.

The Patriotic Alliance in the Free State said the “atrocious and inexcusable acts” against Black South Africans “are derailing the gains we have made as a country”.

OFM News