The man known only as Simon alleged that the money in two plastic bags was kept safe in two rooms. Officers within the company of the SAPS, ransacked the house recently during a special police operation conducted in Betahof Flats, Becquerel Street. Simon said a group of police officers went to different rooms, leaving behind the family as they started to ask for asylum papers.

“Which we produced, after a while, one of the immigration officers, without further explanation, said I was under arrest,” said Simon. According to Simon the police placed the whole family in one corner as they proceeded to search the house. He said that an officer known to him, went alone into most of the rooms.

Asked wether the whole family were in possession of proper documents, he responded, ‘yes’. “If we did not have documents, the police should have arrested and deported us.” On why he kept such huge amount of cash in his house, he replied, “I was about to deposit the money at the bank.”

Colonel Mncedisi Mabala, commander of the Visible Police, advised the complainant to open a case at the Vanderbijlpark Police Station adding that the police will conduct a special identification parade with the complainant to be able to identify the suspect.

“Should the complainant not find joy, he can escalate the matter to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).”