Numerous South Africans have left the country due to many reasons. Some of them return to revisit the country or to check in on loved ones.
It is quite unfortunate that some of them go through an uncomfortable experience that leaves a sour taste in their mouths.
Joe da Silva, a South African now living in Australia, details his harrowing experience while visiting his mother recently.
I’m sharing my experience with my arrest by the EMPD.
I was driving through the town of Springs with my 86-year-old mother on September 23 when I was pulled over by the metro police for a routine check.
He asked for my driver’s license. I was driving with my Australian driver’s licence as I have been living in Australia since 2010.
He then asked for my passport which happened to be locked in my hotel room safe for obvious reasons.
I explained to him that I was driving a hired car and that I could provide him with my South African ID number.
He then asked to open the bonnet and the boot of the hired car. Once he completed his check of the engine bay he asked me to walk across the road to his car.
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He then said to me ‘let’s talk’ meaning he wanted a bribe. I said to the officer there’s nothing to talk about as I have broken no laws.
He then told me he was going to arrest me for being an illegal immigrant and that I had to get into his metro police car.
I refused to let him drive my car and told him I would drive to the Springs police station as he requested.
The metro police officer then followed me to the police station.
Once at the police station in Springs, he arrested me, leaving my mother stranded in the boiling car on her own for two hours and not checking on her and this after I told them that my mother had to be back at the old age home by 13:00 to take her chronic medication.
I was locked up in the police cells and they refused my right to call an attorney.
The arresting metro policeman then phoned the SAPS officer in charge of the holding cells, requesting the address for the old age home in Benoni.
I explained to them that I didn’t know the address but I knew how to get there.
They then asked me what they must do with my elderly mother. I suggested to them to arrest her too as I didn’t have the address for the old age home in Benoni.
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They then drove around in Springs with my elderly mother for around an hour and a half not letting her know what was taking place.
This was stressful for my elderly mother as she was driving around with the metro police officer and didn’t know what they were up to.
While they were driving around my cellphone happened to ring in the car and the metro police answered my phone requesting an address to drop my elderly mother.
She then was dropped off at my brother’s house with no medication and they left my car with my shoes, watch, and belt on the back seat.
In the meantime, my brother came to the Springs police station to find out what was going on.
The arresting officer then asked my brother if he could get my passport from the hotel safe where I was staying in Kempton Park to prove that I was not an illegal resident.
This was after explaining to them that I was born in South Africa and knew my ID number. In the meantime, I was held in the cells while this was all unfolding.
While being arrested my shoes, watch and belt were removed. I had R1 220 that was counted by the metro police officer, he returned the money to me and said to the SAPS officer in Zulu ‘leave him with the money’ as I might end up paying them with the cash as a bribe.
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I remained in custody with my Australian driver’s licence, credit card, and the cash in my pocket and I am aware this was not the proper process of a normal arrest.
My brother returned with my passport and I was released after six hours in custody for refusing to pay the metro police a bribe for doing nothing wrong.
This is exactly why I have left my country of birth. I will be taking legal action for the distress caused to my mother and myself.
This is not the way to deal with foreign nationals and I want action taken against the metro police officers involved in corruption.
We should be protected and not abused by these gangsters that call themselves police.
Furthermore, I will be warning the Department of Tourism in Australia to warn people not to come to this country as the police who are paid to protect the public are the thugs that are committing these crimes and continue to get away with it, there’s just no accountability for their actions.
All this for refusing to pay a bribe. The Springs Advertiser reached out to the EMPD and the Springs SAPS for comments on the matter.
Springs SAPS spokesperson Themba Tshabalala says the SAPS condemn corruption.
“We condemn the requesting and giving of any form of bribe. You can come to the police station and open a case of corruption,” he said.
Tshabalala further advised residents with visiting relatives or expats to always carry their documents with them at all times.
“Foreign citizens should have all relevant documentation that proves that they are in the country legally on their person all the time.
“Failure to provide correct and legal documentation could result in them being detained, and if there are reasonable grounds they can even be arrested until the documents are provided and verified,” he warned.
EMPD spokesperson Kelebogile Thepa advised everyone who has proof of corruption carried out by their officers should act immediately and open a case.
“The EMPD condemns misconduct of this magnitude and emphasises the need to report as soon as possible to various authorities. The names, registration number, date and time of offence will further aid in identifying the perpetrator,” she said.
Thepa said no person is above the law. “Where law enforcement is involved, greater duty is placed on them to uphold the supreme law of the land, and as a mandate to prevent crime. Those defeating the purpose, should be brought to book and face the full might of the law.”
Such misconduct can be:
1. Reported on the city’s hotline 0800 102 201, even on an anonymous basis.
2. Reported at the nearest EMPD precinct station, providing full particulars of the incident and the officer alleged to have committed the misconduct. This can be brought to the attention of the precinct commander for further handling,
3. Reported to the internal affairs, operating as Integrity and Standard Unit, within the EMPD to further probe and initiate disciplinary proceedings against such a member. They are situated at the EMPD Headquarters, City House, corner Long and Margaret streets, Kempton Park,
4. Reported at any SAPS station, where a case docket will be registered against such member and a decision to place the matter on a court roll will be determined by the prosecuting authorities.
