Sergeant Sibusiso Kunene from the Amajuba District Special Task Team in Newcastle, KZN, was arrested yesterday in connection with an assault that happened along the N11.

The 30-second video, which was shared on several social media platforms, evoked outrage last month. It was taken along the N11, near the Albert Wessels intersection.

Instead of focusing the camera directly on the scene, the person who took the video captured the reflection of the incident in the side mirror of the vehicle he/she was sitting in.

The video starts with a man alleged to be Kunene raising his arm as he speaks to people on the scene. He is cradling an R5 rifle – strapped over his shoulder and across his body – in his other arm. Seven suspects are lying on their stomachs on the ground, using their arms to prop themselves up. When the man alleged to be Kunene walks towards the suspects, the one on the far left appears to say something. The armed man’s foot then connects with the prostrate man’s face. He immediately draws his arms across his chest and face to protect himself. A second and third suspect are then kicked. There appear to be four other men standing in the video, some dressed in police uniform and others in plain clothes.

Responding to a media enquiry about the incident, SAPS spokesperson Lizzy Arumugam says police were attending to a truck hijacking and robbery on August 22, when the video was taken.

She explains that the men were arrested and charged with two counts of robbery, and one count of truck hijacking. Police confirmed that the men were wanted on similar charges for a separate incident.

Kunene made his first court appearance in the Newcastle Magistrate’s Court today. He was released on bail of R1 000 on condition that he not interfere with the witnesses. Kunene will make his next court appearance on September 22.