The conduct of two police officers – seen on video allegedly assaulting a man in Fish Hoek on Sunday 14 August – is under investigation.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa says a senior police official has been appointed to lead the investigation.
“The management of the police in the Western Cape has appointed a senior police official located at the district level to institute an investigation in terms of the police disciplinary code into the conduct of two police officials captured in a video involved in an altercation with a member of the public. The video is currently doing rounds on various social media platforms,” says Potelwa.
According to police’s preliminary findings, the two officers in the video, who are based at Fish Hoek Police Station, responded to a complaint in the area concerning a missing individual.
“While criminal investigations into the conduct of police members fall within the ambit of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), the police internal investigation will focus on whether the members had flouted any disciplinary prescripts that relate to the conduct of police members,” Potelwa says.
He adds that the man seen being beaten in the video was sent to a medical facility for treatment.
“The man in the video has been sent to a medical facility for treatment and he too opened an assault grievous bodily harm (GBH) case against the police officials. The docket will be referred to the IPID.
“It is also worth noting that one of the police officials captured in the video has opened a case of assault against the man in the video,” says Potelwa.
Police officers in Fish Hoek, WC,
assaulting a man. He apparently called the @SAPoliceService to assist in reporting a man missing. @IPID_ZA pic.twitter.com/TiK2lUSxc1— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) August 14, 2022
Meanwhile, Fish Hoek Community Policing Forum (CPF) chair Jonathan Mills says the video was brought to their attention on Sunday 14 August.
“The video, which circulated on social media on Sunday morning, was brought to the attention of the CPF as a possible case of police brutality. Unnecessary use of force by police members is not acceptable, neither is threatening behaviour and abusive language towards witnesses who are not obstructing the members.”
Mills adds that the CPF went to Fish Hoek Police Station on Sunday to visit the individual who was arrested. He claims they were refused permission to see the man.
“We were refused permission to speak with the prisoner or any information on his condition, which we accept is within the shift commander’s prerogative. We have been informed that the prisoner was eventually taken to hospital for a medical examination after the night-shift staff came on duty.”
Mills claims the shift commander also refused to accept the video into evidence and to provide an (Occurrence Book) OB reference for their visit.
Mills adds that he was physically removed from the police station at this stage.
“Following our continued insistence that the behaviour of both the members was unacceptable, the shift commander came into the public area of the station and physically ejected one of the CPF members out of the station without warning or any prior request to leave.”
Mills says it is unacceptable behaviour for police to treat the CPF in such a manner.
“The CPF is a partner of police and for our members to be verbally abused and physically assaulted in this manner when following up on reports made by members of the community is not acceptable.”
He says they will be following up on the charges which have been laid by both parties in the original incident.
“We have submitted our own complaint, along with further video evidence, regarding the behaviour of both members in the charge office to the station commander and the CPF Cluster Board for investigation,” says Mills.
