He claimed he saw Midrand police intimidating people with firearms and patrons tried to escape and claims he saw bullet holes in the walls.
“I heard people said that [such incidents] happened often but when they went to Midrand Police Station to report the matter, they chased them away. I am requesting an IPID [Independent Police Investigative Directorate] to intervene in this matter … police should help us, not shoot at us like we are the dangerous criminals in society.”
Midrand police communications officer Constable Matome Tlamela responded to the claims.
According to Tlamela, Captain Chetty was the operational commander at the time of the incident. Upon their arrival at the tavern police witnessed some “illegal action” going on around the premises.
“The police were working the joint operation with the security companies. They visited the tavern in the Midrand CBD. Immediately when the police got out of their vehicles, about 50 people started running out of the tavern towards the police. The warning shot was fired on the ground outside the premises in order to stop the mob from attacking the police. The mob continued to run out of the place and when the police tried to investigate the cause of what happened they couldn’t get a clear explanation,” said Tlamela.
Tlamela said the duty officer was contacted and informed of the incident.
A case of discharging of a firearm in a municipal area was opened and is being investigated by Midrand police.
