VARIOUS policing units are now under the spotlight following the alleged assault of members of a political party on the evening of June 28.
Three members of the Allied Movement for Change were apparently placing campaign posters for the movement in Pennington when they were approached by a traffic officer.
Movement members Bheki Ngongoma, Zweli Mbhele and Akbar Khan were questioned as to their actions.
They claim that the traffic officer accused them of stealing telephone cables.
Shortly afterwards, various policing units arrived at the scene.
Mr Ngongoma said that they attempted to explain to the officers that they were putting up campaign posters, but that they would not listen.
Mr Akbar and Mr Mbhele say they were then handcuffed and ordered to lie down on the ground.
According to Mr Ngongoma, an assault ensued and they were told to confess and were also asked whether they had removed DA posters.
Mr Mbhele said that his and Mr Khan’s heads were slammed together three times.
The party members were detained at the Scottburgh SAPS police station for two days and released on bail following their appearance in the Scottburgh Magistrate’s Court. They are due to appear in court again in mid-July.
According to their lawyer, Agit Ramsar, charges were linked to the electoral act but the charges were not clarified.
Chairman of the AM4C, Roy Bhoola, has stated that the alleged assault was racially and politically motivated.
The Democratic Alliance Ugu North Constituency was contacted for comment.
“The arrest of three employees of Mr Bhoola in connection with poster theft, is a matter for the police and the Independent Electoral Commission to deal with,” said the DA’s Eddie Baptie.
“Allegations leveled against the police are, in our view, frivolous and an act of desperation. It will be interesting to hear what they claim they were doing in Pennington, in the evening, with Mr Bhoola’s party insignia on the vehicle and the DA poster boards at the scene.”
Scottburgh SAPS were contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of writing.
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