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A probe has been launched following a viral video of a police officer caught on camera assaulting a civilian.
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt. Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi ordered an immediate investigation, directing that proper disciplinary steps be taken against the officer.
Provincial police spokesperson Col. Robert Netshiunda said the video, taken in the Point area of Durban, shows a police officer assaulting an individual who did not appear to pose any threat to the officer.
“Another officer can also be seen attempting to calm his colleague,” Netshiunda said.
Lt. Gen. Mkhwanazi commented that police officers are not above the law, noting that a police uniform does not grant any authority to disregard the law. “If the man in the video had committed any crime, the police should have either detained him or made an arrest, instead of committing the crime of assault,” he said.
Mkhwanazi added that assaulting another person is a criminal offence, and that the officer seen assaulting a civilian in the video “should face the consequences.”
“We cannot allow a situation where the hard-earned public trust in the police is undermined by unprofessional conduct within our ranks,” Mkhwanazi said. “When we fight crime, we start from within. The officer who tarnished the image of the police and acted in a way that further damages public confidence will be held accountable, with exemplary measures taken according to the South African Police Service Code of Conduct, Regulations and the Constitution.”
He reminded police officers that they serve the public and must treat community members with respect. “We encourage the public to continue reporting any abuse of power by police so that unprofessional conduct can be addressed and corrected,” he said.