“Traffic cops beat up vendors”

Road vendors in Ballito are accusing the KwaDukuza traffic officers of verbally and physically abusing them.

Simphiwe Cele from Thembeni said that on Thursday November 20 he and his friends were standing at the robot on the M4, by Ashton College, selling ashtrays and bird feeders.

“Two traffic cops came and pulled us into the police van and then drove around with us,” said Cele.

They allegedly threatened to assault them.

“The female officer involved drives a white Toyota and the male drives a gold Bantam van,” he said.

According to Cele, the officers were accusing them of stealing, but did not provide any details of where, from whom and what they were being accused of stealing.

“At about 2.30 am they dropped me off 20 km away from Compensation on the R102 towards Tongaat where they sprayed me with pepper spray and assaulted me,” said Cele.

“I had to walk from there, back to Ballito. I wish to know the reason for these heartless and senseless actions by the cops,” he said.

He told the Courier that the officers took their money and they bought air time and cool drinks at Umhlali BP garage.

“Just because we are not wearing clean clothes and we are always walking around the street, we are treated as criminals. However we are doing no harm to anyone. We are just trying to make a living,” said Cele.

KwaDukuza communications officer Bongumusa Nhaca said they were unaware of the incident but they would investigate.