Saps to probe cop’s response to assault of naked men

The South African Police Service (Saps) in the Western Cape has launched an investigation into the response of one of its members to an assault on two naked men last month.

The incident occurred on 25 February at the N2 Gateway in Delft. According to Brigadier Novela Potelwa, a video circulating on social media shows two naked men being assaulted by community members, with a SAPS vehicle in the background. A Saps member can be seen standing next to the vehicle and later drives away from the scene.

“It is on this basis an internal investigation has been instituted,” Potelwa said.

The Saps was alerted to the video on Saturday.

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“The internal probe is focusing on the police’s initial response to the crime scene in an effort to determine whether the first responders acted appropriately from the time they arrived on the scene of crime. Also whether the police on the scene asked for backup and what transpired thereafter,” Potelwa said.

The investigation is also looking into what else occurred on the scene that the video did not capture.

According to Potelwa, one of the assault victims died in hospital shortly after the attack while the other sustained serious injuries.

Six men have subsequently been charged with murder and attempted murder. Their case was remanded in court and they are expected to appear again n 9 May.

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The Western Cape acting provincial commissioner Major-General Thembisile Patekile condemned vigilantism and said it constituted a crime punishable by law.

Patekile further urged communities to work with the police in tackling acts of criminality instead of taking the law into their own hands.

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