Covid-19 lockdown: Children beg police to release Edenvale dad arrested for not sticking to curfew

Austen was detained on the evening of May 4 after returning from the shops where he bought cool drink for his fiancé who was feeling nauseous.
He left his house at about 7.45pm.

“On my way home I looked up one of the streets and saw a convoy of police and military vehicles but didn’t think much of it. I rushed home.”

Nearing home, Austen realised the convoy was following him and he was stopped in his driveway.

He alleged that police officers and military personnel, some of who were armed, surrounded his vehicle.

“They had blocked off the road and it looked like a crime scene. I tried to get the cool drink out to show the officers that I had just returned from the shops. I was pulled out of the car.

“The more I tried to reach for my wallet, ID and phone, the harder I was pulled out of the car by my waist. I was told I was being locked up for not being confined to my house and that I did not have a permit.”

Austen called out to his family to inform them of what was happening to him. His children, family and neighbours came out and saw him get pulled out of the car.

“Although I wasn’t injured, I was humiliated. My children were crying and screaming for me to be let go.”

He said he was placed in a police vehicle which continued travelling around Edenvale and that other people were detained for noncompliance of regulations.

“I wasn’t told where I was going and my family wasn’t told where I was being taken.”

He was later taken to Edenvale Police Station where he was charged for not adhering to the 8pm curfew. He was placed in a holding cell with other people also detained for contravening lockdown regulations.

“We waited in the cells for our fingerprints and photographs to be taken. You hear about this happening to other people but you never think it would happen to you.

“I asked how much my bail would be and I received contradicting amounts from different officers. “I was told a member of my family could bring my bail money but after what they saw happen to me they were too scared to go to the police station.”

Austen later contacted a friend who went to the station with the bail money. He said he was released on May 5 at 2.30am. Austen is expected to appear in the Edenvale Magistrate’s Court in August.

Besides feeling humiliated and frustrated, Austen said he was left physically and emotionally drained by the incident.

“My two children are very worried about me. When I leave home they tell me to be careful. They worry about what will happen to me.”

He believes the incident also affected his career prospects. “Shortly after I was arrested, I went for a job interview and I was honest about what had happened. They told me that I could only come back once the matter was resolved.”

He has no plans to take the matter further. “It will become an ongoing three-year-long procedure and I don’t want to put me or my family through that,” Austen said.

Edenvale SAPS spokesperson Sgt Jacob Mashile said he could not comment on the incident. He confirmed that Austen was detained.

He said the station did not receive a written complaint. “We cannot comment as an investigation needs to occur. Once the matter is placed on the court roll the station will comment on the matter. Edenvale station commander Col Sudesh Sookraj will meet with community members who have concerns regarding the behaviour of Edenvale SAPS members during this time.

“Community members need to work together and abide by the regulations and the Constitution. To report a crime or misconduct by the Edenvale SAPS members, phone Edenvale SAPS on 011 553 8600.”

A request for comment was sent to the South African Department of Defence’s media liaison officer Brig Gen Xolani Mabanga and head of communications Siphiwe Dlamini on May 21 at 3.05pm requesting comment by 3pm on May 22.

At the time of publishing, no comment had been received.

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