Blood-drawing video causes an uproar
DOUGLASDALE – MMC for Public Safety Michael Sun expecting investigation report after a video of a woman being restrained by JMPD officer went viral.
A video of a woman motorist being restrained by a Metro police officer while another person, purported to be a nurse, appeared to be drawing blood from her has sparked massive debate on social media.
The video surfaced on 8 July.
Speaking after the incident, MMC for Public Saftey Michael Sun said the individual had allegedly failed a breathalyser test necessitating Metro police to arrest the woman and take her to the Douglasdale Police Station for further processing.
“It is critical to note that the law does permit a police officer to physically restrain a person who refuses to provide a blood sample for law enforcement purposes,” added Sun.
Jean Berdou of Future City Fourways has warned motorists against the danger and legal consequences of drinking and driving.
“The exact circumstances of this case and what led to the testing are being investigated after Future City Fourways queried the conduct of officials in this matter with the MMC Michael Sun and SAPS Douglasdale,” said Berdou in a Facebook post.
“Section 65(9) of the National Road Traffic Act authorises the taking of a blood sample even with absent consent but the arrested person can insist that their doctor be present and is entitled to demand that proof be shown of use of a sealed syringe and needle. Only a district surgeon, or registered nurse or medical practitioner may take a blood sample.”
The Fourways Review contacted Sun on the 15 July for an update on the matter. “We are underway with our investigations and we need to ensure that we conduct a proper investigation and it is very important to find out what happened prior to when the video was taken,” he said.
“It is quite disturbing from what we have seen in the video, which is why we needed to ensure that a proper and thorough investigation is being conducted and I am expecting the investigation report in the next day or two. Once I have the report, I can share with residents what really happened on the day and then we can also know which direction to take.”
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