Following the circulation of a video on social media platforms depicting two police officials, one sjamboking a yet-to-be-identified man and another searching and slapping a second man on Tuesday, the SAPS in the Western Cape has with immediate effect instituted a probe. The investigation is led by the Worcester Cluster Commander, Major General Nomthetheleli Mene. Thus far, preliminary findings have revealed the following:
* The incident occurred in Worcester near an industrial area on Monday, 18 January 2021
* The police vehicle in the video belongs to Ceres police station (hence the marking on the side of the van) but is currently utilised by a police unit in Worcester
* The police officials captured in the video have been identified and are SAPS employees attached to a unit in Worcester
* The two individuals (one searched, slapped, and another sjamboked) are yet-to-be-identified and interviewed as part of the investigation
Further investigation into the matter is expected to also shed light on what had happened prior to the recording commencing.
The South African Police Service in the Western Cape wishes to place on record that the beating up and manhandling of individuals and/or suspects is against departmental directives and prescripts that govern the handling of persons by police officials. In addition, the use of a sjambok by police officials is not only forbidden but unlawful.
A plea is hereby made for space to be given for the sanctioned investigation to unfold and be finalised soon. Speculation about what actually happened, including the disclosure of names of the police officials involved, would, at this stage of the investigation be detrimental to the probe that is underway.
• In an unrelated matter, Western Cape SAPS management met Sassa leadership in the Province on Monday in a bid to resolve challenges that relate to large crowds of people converging in long queues at some Sassa offices within the Western Cape. Meanwhile, an internal SAPS inquiry into what transpired at the Bellville Sassa offices on Friday, 15 January 2021 where police used water cannons on individuals standing in a long queue, is underway.