The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) is investigating two Muizenberg police officers for allegedly assaulting a Lakeside pastor and his daughter.
The alleged incident occurred during a prayer service at the Riverview Church of Christ in Lakeside on Wednesday 15 December.
Police spokesperson Capt Frederick van Wyk confirmed that two police officers are being investigated.
“Two common assault cases were opened against Muizenberg police officers. They are currently being investigated by Ipid.”
Bijou Makembe, chair and trustee of Riverview Church of Christ, and her husband, pastor Honore Makembe, are originally from Congo and have been living in South Africa for 22 years.
Honore says when police arrived it was as if they had already made up their minds that the family was living in the country illegally.
“When they came here their minds were already set to arrest and deport us, regardless of whether we showed them papers or not, that was the key point.”
He added that the gate leading to the church and parking lot was locked when police arrived.
“When you open the gate for a respectful authority, you say come in. The first thing they asked is where are your papers? And before I could answer he (a policeman) grabbed me on my neck and started to pull me to the police van.”
Honore added that he was not given time to explain or to collect his documents at his home, which is on the church premises.
“You ask me for papers but do not give me time to explain? I had to free myself to get my papers, but even when I showed them my papers, they grabbed it and started to walk away with it.
“I’m a permanent resident in South Africa, one of my children was born here, I’ve been here 22 years. Originally, I am from Congo. My work has been here, working with local people, foreign nationals as well. I’m here for the past 22 years and I’ve been involved in missionary work.”
His wife, Bijou, claims a neighbour called the police. “They are using the police to do these things. I told my husband to fetch our papers to show to the police.”
In a video recorded by church members, Honore is seen scuffling with police while his two daughters are lying on the ground, surrounded by police officers.
Patricia Makembe, one of the daughters, says she spoke up to defend her father, but ended up pepper sprayed and confined to the back of a police van.
“The police officer wanted to arrest my father. My sister, myself and my mom tried to come in between to stop him from taking my dad. Eventually we managed to separate them, we were on our way to the back. As we were going, a neighbour threw a knife at my sister.
“I went up to a police officer and asked him did he not see that, there could have been a murder here, but he just kept insisting where are our papers.
“I said he can’t be demanding papers while right in front of him someone is throwing a knife at my sister.
“I kept speaking up and saying they are supposed to protect us and our rights. That’s when an officer grabbed me by the wrist, wanting to pull me into the police van. He called the other law enforcement officers, eight to 10 of them, they all came, surrounded me, and that’s how I ended up on the ground. They were trying to pull me into the police van.”
Patricia says police struggled to get her into the van so they decided to pepper spray her.
“They were not able to get me into the van, so they decided to pepper spray me. That’s the first time I have ever been pepper sprayed. It was burning.”
The sisters were later released without being arrested or charged.
“I normally see on social media how women are being abused by police officers, but I never thought I would have to experience the same thing. I was shocked and traumatised that I had to face that; I was standing up for my rights, and I have every right to speak up.”
Johanna Blou, a member of the church who was at the prayer meeting, said she heard a commotion outside the church.
“I was in church, and we just heard noise coming from outside. It sounded like arguing and we went out to take a look and then we saw the whole place full of police and law enforcement officers.”
Blou says police officers were pulling on the pastor’s clothes and wanted to arrest him.
“Everything happened so quickly. When I looked again his daughters were on the ground. Police officers were tramping on them and sprayed them in the eyes with pepper spray.
“They handled them like animals. It wasn’t right to handle them like that in front of us and the church. We were very upset; the children at church started crying. They threw the pastor’s daughters into the back of a police van like they were dogs. The daughters were trying to protect their mother and father.
“We are all human. If a police officer carries out their job, they can’t behave that way.”
