Investigation Underway into Incident Between Young Boy and KZN Officers
An investigation is reportedly underway in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, after a video went viral on Monday showing two officers entering a property where they grab a young child and lead him away. (Watch below.) The young boy can be heard crying as an adult male, believed to be his dad, races to his rescue and […]
An investigation is reportedly underway in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, after a video went viral on Monday showing two officers entering a property where they grab a young child and lead him away. (Watch below.)
The young boy can be heard crying as an adult male, believed to be his dad, races to his rescue and manages to get the uniformed officials to let the child go.
The man can be heard saying “call the police” and “this is ridiculous”. He tells the child to “go to Joanne”, but as the man is being arrested by the officers, the young child can be heard hysterically screaming “no daddy, no”.
The video ends with the man being handcuffed and the officers asking somebody to open the gate. The man tells the person behind the camera that this has been going on for an hour and that the officers have “harassed” others, apparently for going in the road.
The incident took place at a gated community in Shaka’s Rock, which is between Salt Rock and Ballito on the KZN Dolphin Coast.
According to IOL, the officers were from KwaDukuza (formerly Stanger) Municipality.
A Municipal spokesperson, Sipho Mkhize, told IOL: “KwaDukuza Municipality notes the video making rounds on social media of two of its peace officers who ‘seem’ to be in a scuffle with father and child in the Shaka’s Rock area in Ballito.
“At the outset, we want to say that we do not condone any form of abuse levelled against our residents particularly women and children.”
WATCH KZN Officers walk off with young boy
https://youtu.be/D_KQ5NzL8Hs
The video caused outrage amongst South Africans.
Well known cartoonist Jerm said: “Is this about containing a virus?”
Pieter Groenewald, FF PLus Leader said: “This is outrageous and I will follow this up with both the president and police as well as police committee in parliament. There must be consequences.”
Dean Macpherson, DA Shadow Minister for Trade & Industry, tweeted: “This is the thuggish behavior that the ANC Government are dishing out to citizens, including children. This lockdown has resulted in a state whose security services grow more vicious and is hell bent on flexing its muscles to show citizens who is in control.”
Mkhize said: “KwaDukuza Municipality will issue a formal statement on this subject, once it has concluded the relevant consultations. We appeal for calm and cooperation in our community whilst we endeavour to deal with this matter.”
An internal investigation is underway.
UPDATE: Father who filmed viral video showing KZN officers manhandling child near Ballito speaks out