A Crossroads youngster who is currently writing his matric exams said he is traumatised after being assaulted by police officers.
The matter, involving officers from Nyanga police station, has been reported, and was subsequently referred to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) which investigates charges laid against the police.
Avela Nxenye, who is in Grade 12 at Bridgetown High School in Athlone, claims that three Nyanga police officers assaulted him while he was on his way home from Philippi Plaza shopping mall around 2.30pm on Friday November 6.
Avela said he was running home to meet a friend when he saw police vehicles parked near the road.
One of the officers asked him why he was running, and when Avela explained that he was in a hurry to get to his friend, the boy claims he was smacked and kicked to the ground.
“When they asked me why I was meeting a friend, my response was, that it is my business not yours. That’s when they started pushing and kicking me.
After that, they put me in the van. I thought they were arresting me. I was shocked when they stopped at my home,” he explained, adding that they had been driving recklessly.
“I was so traumatised with their behaviour. I am glad I am recovering so that I can finish my final year exams.”
According to his granny Mavis Ngqaza, she had sent Avela to the shopping centre to withdraw money for her gooi-gooi and was shocked to see her grandson covered in bruises by the time he got home.
When the police arrived at her door, she said, “They were smiling and asked me where he was, why he had gone to the mall and how much money he had withdrawn.
When I told them, they just left. But all along they had him in the van. I was shocked when he came in shouting.
“When I asked him what happened, he told me they assaulted him for no reason,” she said.
Ms Ngqaza then went to the police station to lay a charge of assault.
“I wanted to meet the station commander and I was told he was not there. Remember this is a Grade 12 pupil. He just wrote his first paper the previous day. How is he going to cope with the pain inflicted on him by the police?”
Nyanga police spokesperson, Captain Ntomboxolo Sitshitshi, said a case of common assault had been opened but the matter had been taken over by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.
IPD did not respond to Vukani’s queries about the case.