The Independent Police
Investigative Directorate is
investigating a complaint
by a young man from Site C,
Khayelitsha, who has accused
police of physically assaulting
him.
Lukhanyo Shumane said the
incident, which happened a few
metres from his home a week
ago, has left him traumatised.
Mr Shumane said he and his
three friends had been standing next to a local shop chatting when a convoy of police
vehicles passed by, and officers
instructed them not to move.
He claimed police threatened to shoot if if they did.
When one of the officers got
out of the vehicle with his firearm in his hand, said Mr Shumane, he raised both his hands
to show that he was unarmed
and obeying their instructions.
However, he said, he was
shocked when one of the officers slapped him in the face,
accusing him of having insulted
the police officers.
After he asked them what
he had done wrong, he said,
another officer stepped out
of the vehicle and allegedly
slapped him in the face and
violently pushed him around.
“My face was swollen. I was
the only one who was beaten
up by the cops – for no reason.
I never said anything nor did I
disobey them,” he told Vukani.
“Why would I insult police
officers out of the blue? I
thought when they stopped next
to us they were going to search
us as we did nothing wrong. For the next three days my
face became worse and I had
to visit a doctor. I have opened
a case with the IPID because I want them to
answer for their action,” he said.
IPID spokesperson, Ndileka
Cola, confirmed that the matter
had been reported to them and
was being investigated.