Civilian assault diminishes public trust – Provincial Commissioner of KZN Police
A video of a police officer in uniform assaulting a civilian in the Point area has caused an uproar on social media platforms. Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi assures the public that the incident will be investigated.
THE Provincial Commissioner of KwaZulu-Natal, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, has ordered an immediate investigation and proper disciplinary steps to be taken against a police officer who was seen assaulting a man in a video that has gone viral on social media.
In a video, which was taken in the Point area of Durban, a police officer can be seen assaulting a person who seemingly did not pose any danger to the officer. Another officer can also be seen trying to calm down his colleague.
Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi said that police officers are not above the law, and a police uniform does not give police officers any power to disregard the law and be a law unto themselves. He said that if the man in the video had committed any crime, police should have either detained him or effected an arrest instead of committing the crime of assault.
Also read: Police Commissioner warns neighbourhood watch groups
“The act of assaulting another person is a criminal offence, and the police officer who was seen assaulting a civilian in the video should face the music. We cannot allow a situation where the gains of hard-working police officers are reversed by the unprofessional conduct of certain individuals within our ranks. When we fight crime, we start from within, and as such, the officer who dented the image of the police and acted in a manner that seeks to plummet the public trust in the police further will be taken to task. Exemplary measures will be taken in accordance with the South African Police Service Code of Conduct, Regulations and the Constitution,” said Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi.
He concluded that police officers were servants of the public and, as such, should treat their clients with respect.
Community members are encouraged to continue reporting any abuse of power by police so that unprofessional conduct can be addressed and corrected.
For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here
