Video footage of the officers involved in what appears to be a scuffle with the man has been widely circulated on social media platforms.
According to the metro, it took more than 10 officers to subdue the suspect who was resisting arrest and allegedly assaulting officers in the process.
MMC for Community Safety Clr Frans Mmoko said in a statement the officers were responding to a complaint about traffic violations in the area when the suspect became aggressive and shouted racial slurs at them.
He called the officers derogatory names. It’s understood this later escalated to physical abuse, with one of the officers being shoved to the ground before they called for back-up.
“More officers arrived and the abuse continued, resulting in another officer being assaulted and had to be taken to the Parkland Hospital for treatment for abrasions to the tongue.
“This is unacceptable. Officers are here to provide policing and ensure that peace and safety prevail.
“We are here to ensure that the rule of the law is enforced at all times and we need the community to assist us fight such nonsensical acts against law-enforcement officers.
“These are men and women who sacrifice the comfort of their homes to ensure that we all live in a society that we can all be proud of.
“Despite this incident, we are quite confident that the rule of law shall prevail and those behind the attacks on law officers are dealt with decisively.
“We have trust in the country’s justice system and we are optimistic that those perpetuating such senseless attacks face the full might of the law.
“The officers have laid various charges against the 40-year-old suspect including crime injuria, assault, intimidation, resisting arrest and interfering with police work,” Mmoko concludes.
DA calls for the suspension of the officers in question
On the other hand, the DA in Gauteng has called for the immediate suspension of the EMPD accused of threatening to shoot a civilian ‘at close range’.
The DA described the incident, which was captured on video and went viral on social media, as shameful.
“The video shows an EMPD officer threatening to shoot a civilian while his colleagues were trying to arrest a member of the public who was resisting arrest,” said DA Gauteng spokesperson for Community Safety Michael Shackleton MPL.
“While we do not condone the actions of a civilian who was resisting arrest, the conduct of the accused EMPD officer was almost an act of assault as he was pointing a gun at a civilian.
“This unethical conduct by a metro police officer cannot be tolerated, and we call on Ekurhuleni Mayor Mzwandile Masina to ensure that the accused metro officer is suspended while the investigation is pending so as to ensure that he does not jeopardise the investigation.
“We will continue to monitor the progress of the investigation into this incident to ensure that the law takes its course.”
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