Melkboscops accusedof assault

Mthandazo Mbukula said a Melkbosstrand police officer used this scuba tank to hit him over the head.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is investigating allegations by a man that he was assaulted and called the K-word by a Melkbosstrand policeman.

Mthandazo Mbukula says he was assaulted and verbally abused by a Melkbosstrand police constable.

According to him, he was with four of his friends at the beach in Melkbosstrand in the early hours of Monday November 11. It was still dark when they got out of the water, and a white Ford Fortuner started following them.

“Before we knew it, a police van showed up, blocking our car. We were told to get out of the car and ordered to lie face-down on the road. We had diving equipment in the car and were asked to point out which equipment belongs to whom,” he said.

Mr Mbukula said one of the officers, a Constable Garfield, took the scuba tanks from the car, placed them on top of them while they lay on the floor.

“Speaking in Afrikaans, Garfield said ‘these k****s will know me today’. I said to him, ‘we are not k****s’, and before I could finish my sentence, he kicked me on my head and said I speak too much. Moments later, he picked up my scuba tank and hit me on the back of my head with it.”

Mr Mbukula says he passed out momentarily from the blow and when he came to his friends were around him and he was bleeding from the head.

He says they were then all loaded into the police van, told they were under arrest and taken to the police station.

“At the station, I was questioned by one of the officers as to why I was bleeding and why we were arrested despite not having done anything wrong.

“I’ve since opened a case of assault against the officer at the Atlantis police station and explained what happened including him calling me the K-word. I’m seeking assistance in that regard because I can’t allow this sort of thing to happen and who knows how many others this police officer has assaulted like this with no probable cause. I’m still waiting for an update from SAPS.”

Mr Mbukula has also completed a J88 form, detailing his injuries.

Mr Mbukula’s post about the incident and pictures have been shared nearly 500 times on Facebook since he posted them on Thursday November 14. Some have questioned what Mr Mubukula and his friends were doing at the beach with diving equipment.

Provincial police spokesman Siyabulela Malo confirmed a case had been opened against the officer and Ipid was investigating.

“At this stage, no further information can be provided as it will hinder the investigation,” said Mr Malo.

Mr Mbukula lives in Kraaifontein and often visits family in Atlantis. He works at a shop in Bellville and also has a pig-selling business in the Eastern Cape, where he is originally from.

Melkbosstrand Community Police Forum chairman Samie Kleynhans said he had sent several emails to the Department of Community Safety (DOCS) about the poaching problem in Melkbosstrand. He had also emailed Premier Alan Winde.

“What is most frustrating is that there isn’t even a response .We have a legal person assisting us with ideas of how we can go a long way towards making poaching extremely difficult for the poachers at minimal costs,” he said