A barber who was assaulted by a police officer in Cape Town's Mowbray last year has quit his job for fear of being assaulted again. Almost three months later, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) remain silent on the outcome and identity of the officers who carried out the assault.
Barber Juma Igilanieza was assaulted by SAPS members during a raid on her workplace, Perfect Touch Boutique and Salon, on November 7.
ground up On November 10, released surveillance camera footage showing several police officers, one in plain clothes, carrying out the assault. The footage shows at least two officers directly participating in the assault, but other police do not appear concerned. The officers fired a barrage of punches at Igilanieza, hit him repeatedly with a wooden instrument and suffocated him with plastic.
The officers were said to be looking for Igilanieza's boss, whom they accused of selling drugs. Igilanieza was taken to Groote Schuur Hospital for treatment after being assaulted.
The officers are members of the SAPS Special Provincial Task Force called Operation Recovery (Reto). The charges being investigated against them are attempted murder, torture and assault.
When asked if the officers had been identified, charged or faced any consequences, Ipid spokesperson Robbie Lovelove said: ground up We told SAPS: “The information you are looking for will be provided by SAPS, not Ipid. Discipline issues to be addressed only by the employer.”
However, when we went to SAPS, the spokesperson, Mr FC Van Wyk, sent us back to Ipid and said: We recommend that you direct your inquiries to the Department Public Relations Officer listed above for answers. ”
Speaking at a meeting of the South African National Editors Forum a few weeks after the incident, Police Minister Bheki Cele said: We will try to act quickly. ”
Read more at Daily Maverick: Bheki Cele reacts to video evidence of police assault during barbershop attack
“A complete farce”
On Monday, the Western Cape Police Oversight and Community Safety Department condemned Ipid's report for the second quarter of the 2023/24 financial year. According to the report, 196 cases were registered with Ipid for investigation between July and September 2023 in the Western Cape. Of the 1,276 cases nationwide, the Western Cape had the second highest number after Gauteng.
The 196 cases included 146 assault cases.
Western Cape Police Minister Regan Allen said: “The high number of incidents is extremely worrying and frankly shameful. It suggests a necessary and unacceptable level of indiscipline. It is an utter travesty that the very act of law-abiding service that is supposed to protect us all is now being accused of committing a crime.”
If anyone has reliable information identifying the officers involved in the assault, please email us. [email protected]. Your confidentiality is guaranteed.
assault video
This is a shortened version of the video.download 11 minute complete video. Warning: Both videos depict violence that most people will find distressing.
DM
It was first published ground up.
