WATCH: Six cops assaulted in standoff with foreign nationals during drug raid

Six South African Police Service (SAPS) officials were “seriously” injured in a standoff with foreign nationals in Vanderbijlpark during a drug raid on Tuesday morning.

In videos that have been circulating on social media, a group of men, some armed, can be seen arguing with the officers over a dead body. While there is speculation that the officers killed the man, Police Minister Fikile Mbalula says the officers found him dead.

“The SAPS conducted an operation by K9 unit at a well-known drug dealer’s house.

“The SAPS found four occupants who were inside the house with one occupant of Nigerian nationality deceased.

“It is alleged that one Nigerian man came to the scene and started to attack the SAPS with broken bottles, resulting in six police officers from K9 unit being seriously injured. The injured police officers had to be taken to Medi-Clinic to medical treatment.

“I am very proud of our police, and it shows we are achieving our goals in having professionalised police service, but this does not mean our police are open to assaults and other threats on their lives.

“No amount of anger can justify the attack of police officers, police officers represent the state. I am warning these thugs to desist undermining our police.

“I need not remind the occupants of the house that our country is still recovering from scars of xenophobic attacks. We expect everyone in our country to respect our laws, but above all, respect our police, whose mandate is to ensure that everyone within the borders of South Africa is safe.

“South Africa is not a failed state, it’s a democratic country that has laws, and we expect everyone to respect the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Let’s all await the results of the postmortem, and anyone who’s found guilty must face the might of the law,” Mbalula said.

Family members in the background can be heard crying over the deceased man.

Watch the video below:

WARNING: Contents in the video may be disturbing to sensitive viewers.

https://youtu.be/E5FIFvPIsdQ