Mpumalanga police special task force members are facing allegations of assaulting partygoers and dousing victims with alcohol during an operation in Somaphepha Village last Friday.
The owner of the tavern, who requested anonymity due to fears of victimisation, alleged that a group of armed police officers from various units stormed his business at around 23:30.
The officers were reportedly responding to a tip-off about a wanted suspect involved in a crime in Kwaggafontein.
One eyewitness, Samuel Mokwana, claimed that a female officer slapped him twice while he was outside the building where the suspect was believed to be.
The officer then ordered him to go back inside.
Once inside, the officers deployed stun grenades before instructing the partygoers to lie on the ground.
The officers allegedly proceeded to order several people to stand up and searched them for weapons.
“I have three security guards at the gate at all times to ensure no weapons enter the premises,” said the business owner.
Eventually, the officers identified the wanted suspect, arrested him, and left the scene. However, minutes later, the cops allegedly returned and began opening alcohol bottles, throwing the contents over the remaining customers.
In CCTV footage seen by the Middelburg Observer, one of the officers can be seen picking up a pool cue and striking several men who were lying on the ground.
@middelburgobserver The Mpumalanga Special Task Unit is facing allegations of assaulting partygoers and spilling alcohol on them during an operation in Somaphephe Village last Friday.
Mokwana said he was left traumatised after the incident, “We didn’t have weapons, and we were following their orders. Why did they have to assault us?”
He attempted to open a case at the Middelburg Police Station but was allegedly turned away.
The owner said that when he heard about the incident at his tavern, he immediately went to the police station, fearing the police might of been fake.
He inquired whether the Middelburg police knew about the operation and was told they did not. “To my surprise, the officers who were at my tavern came into the police station with the suspect handcuffed,” he said.
He also showed the Middelburg Observer a video his wife took of one of the police officers manhandling him inside the police station.
He said he was also unable to open a case.
He was told that the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) would contact him, but he is still waiting to open a case against the officers involved in the alleged assault.
• On Tuesday, the Observer spoke to the spokesperson of IPID, Phaladi Shuping, who said he would revert the media enquiry to the Mpumalanga office before responding to the matter.
