MATSULU – A member of the South African Police Service (SAPS) is suing the ministry after he was allegedly shot at and severely assaulted by members of the Tactical Response Team (TRT or amaBeret).
This incident is said to have taken place on Sunday October 27, a day after the TRT were filmed in one of this township’s taverns, brutally assaulting innocent patrons and pouring liquor over them.
This police official in question has also filed a formal complaint with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) after the Matsulu Police Station had done little to assist him in lodging a formal complaint.
Mpumalanga News is in possession of the copy of the IPID’s proof of acknowledgement of his complaint and a commitment to give this issue the attention it deserves.
Adv Mike Nonyale of the Nonyale MS Attorneys based in White River, has confirmed with this paper that he represents the police officer and has already filed a letter of demand to the ministry.
“We are taking the matter to the High Court and suing the ministry for R7 million,” said Nonyale.
Speaking to this paper, the police officer said the TRT members opened fire on his Black BMW 3 series for no apparent reason, and realising that he was being shot at, he decided to drive to the police station, but never made it there as the TRT caught up with him and assaulted him.
He said they searched his car, but found nothing and yet continued to beat him up in full view of the public and the Matsulu Police Station commander.
Mpumalanga News has since been made to understand that this is one of the incidents which triggered the outcry and the community’s decision to embark on a protest.
Members of the community were advised to follow the correct channels before embarking on a strike, hence the decision to approach the station commander and also the intention to engage the MEC for safety and security, Mr Vusi Shongwe.
This paper has since been reliably informed that the IPID is being flooded with complaints from the general public about police brutality, especially the TRT.