WATCH: Police officers caught assaulting two men
'The use of a sjambok by police officials is not only forbidden but unlawful,' said Western Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa.
Police officers were captured on video assaulting two men. Picture. Screenshot
The South African Police Service (Saps) in the Western Cape said on Wednesday that an internal investigation is underway after a video surfaced showing two police officials assaulting two men.
In the video, one officer appears to be whipping a yet-to-be-identified man with a sjambok and the other officer searches and slaps a second man.
This was confirmed by the provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Novela Potelwa.
“The investigation is led by the Worcester cluster commander, Major-General Nomthetheleli Mene,” said Potelwa.
Potelwa said they were made aware of the video on Tuesday night. She said the two officials are still on duty but a probe was underway.
“No one is on suspension yet,” Potelwa said.
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“According to preliminary investigations, the incident occurred in Worcester near an industrial area on Monday, 18 January 2021.”
Potelwa said the investigation into the matter is expected to also shed light on what had happened prior to the recording commencing.
She said beating up and manhandling individuals and/or suspects is against departmental directives and prescripts that govern the handling of persons by police officials.
“The use of a sjambok by police officials is not only forbidden but unlawful,” Potelwa said.
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