WATCH: Army members break beer bottle, slap and kick member of the public

A video sent to The Citizen on Saturday shows a member of the SA National Defence Force apparently assaulting a member of the public for drinking in public and allegedly not obeying the prescriptions on movement imposed on South Africa during the 21-day lockdown against the spread of Covid-19.

The clip is unlikely to have been filmed during the army’s deployment from last year on the Cape Flats to combat gangsterism because people are wearing masks.

In the clip, the army can be seen around a group of men, who appear to be giving them some attitude. One army member then slaps and kicks someone he’s lost patience with after one of his colleagues confiscates and breaks a bottle of beer.

Members of the police are present and look on.

Concerns about possible brutality from the SANDF and police during this lockdown period occurring have been expressed, counterbalanced by the even bigger worry that if people do not stay home and observe social distancing, they will only aid the spread of the virus, which reached 1,170 confirmed infections by Friday.

The pandemic has ground most of the world to a halt.

Another video shows JMPD members being assaulted by the public, though the provenance of this video is unknown, as well as whether it happened during the lockdown.

(Compiled by Charles Cilliers)

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