Watch: eBlockwatch founder confronts police officer over alleged roadblock extortion
Dramatic social media footage captures the moment a Gauteng motorist's alleged seized cash is handed back at the roadside.
The South African Police Service has launched a departmental investigation after a female officer was filmed returning R2 000 she had allegedly taken from a driver in Diepsloot.
A video shows Andre Snyman, founder of eBlockwatch, demanding the return of the money from a police officer who allegedly took the money from a member of the crime-watch group at a roadblock earlier.
“I was sitting at home when an eBlockwatch member contacted me. Usually, it is a network of members and the issue gets sorted by the people closest to the incident via local WhatsApp groups,” explains Snyman,
This afternoon, he decided to drive to Diepsloot where the incident occurred.
“The guy who contacted me had a bad run. He was going on holiday and had R2 000 on him because he had just been paid. Then his bakkie broke. Then he was forced into the back of a police van and ordered to pay money to be released,” explains Snyman.
Snyman drove to the roadblock and asked the man to point out the police officer who took his money.
He then started a Facebook Live video and went to confront the police officers.
An audibly angry Snyman can be heard demanding the police officer apologise after she returned the money. When she says, ‘I am very sorry’, he replies with ‘I am very sorry for the whole of bloody South Africa’.
Snyman says that when he counted the money, he realised that there was R2 500 instead of R2 000 in the container. I gave it all to the guy who first contacted me.
National police spokesperson, brigadier Athlenda Mathe said that they have noted the video and that the police officer in the video has been identified and immediate disciplinary processes was started against her.
“A departmental investigation has also been launched to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident” said Mathe.
The Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni, has strongly condemned the alleged conduct.
Members of the public are urged not to offer bribes and to report any allegations of corruption or extortion involving SAPS members through the following channels:
- SAPS Anti-Corruption Hotline: 0800 701 701
- SAPS National Complaints Service Centre: 0800 333 177
- Corruption Watch WhatsApp Line: 072 013 5569
- Gauteng Service Complaints Standby: 082 442 2000
- Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID)
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