Assaulted SAPS victims successfully traced

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has been successful in the search of the victims who were assaulted – allegedly by their members – over the weekend on the N1 towards Fourways, in Johannesburg.

Following public outrage, SAPS started a search party to get statements of the victims who were captured in a video while being assaulted by the police.

The video has since gone viral on social media, so much that it even caught the attention of the Deputy President, Paul Mashatile.

In it, a group of police officials can be seen coming out of two black BMW X5s and thereafter dragging a man, assumed to be the driver, out of his blue VW Polo before they started beating him to a pulp.

“The deputy president appeals to the public to allow the SAPS the necessary space to complete its investigation into the incident and take whatever corrective action is deemed necessary. The deputy president has full confidence in the SAPS under the leadership of Minister Bheki Cele and the command of General Masemola to do the right thing in this regard,” said the National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola in a statement.

“Members of the SAPS are meant to uphold and protect the fundamental rights of every person and exercise the powers conferred upon them in a responsible and controlled manner,” he added.

Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed to Fourways Review in a statement that the police officers who were involved in the assault are subjected to an internal investigation.

“The SAPS has since successfully traced the victims of this incident. The process to obtain their statements continues as part of the probe. The police officers involved have also been identified and will be subjected to internal processes. Management of the SAPS views this as serious and will get to the bottom of this incident.”

Related Article:

https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/331379/manhunt-stalls-traffic-on-n3/