Durban police seem to be out of control
Posted: Fri, 2008-10-24 11:59
Durban police seem to be out of control. Swearing at and abusing motorists
at road blocks and physically assaulting and threatening to arrest those who
question them were just some of the complaints received by newspapers and
the police watchdog this month over the conduct of police officers in
Durban.
The increase in complaints against Metro Police and members of the South
African Police Service (SAPS) has now reached the attention of the
Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD), which is urging residents to "know
their rights" and "not take the abuse lying down".
The Independent on Saturday has received several complaints from people of
being abused by Metro officers and the SAPS.
The SAPS is also under fire for the increasing number of suspects shot dead
in custody.
This week, Metro Police were criticised by members of the public for the way
they treated Durban CBD business owners and motorists after towing away
several vehicles in Bertha Mkhize (Victoria) and Dennis Hurley (Queen)
streets.
One motorist alleged she was "yanked" from her moving car and others accused
Metro Police officers of swearing at them.
The ICD has launched an investigation into the reported behaviour of these
police officers.
In an unrelated incident, Rajan Ethwar, of the Bluff, said he was livid at
how the Metro Police hurled insults at him and his 79-year-old sickly
mother, Muniamah Naidoo, at Addington Hospital last Friday.
"My mother had just had an eye operation the previous day and she was there
for the post operation procedure. She was feeling weak and it was scorching
hot,"said Ethwar.
"There was a car about to back out, so I was waiting for it. I was barely
there for 30 seconds when the police said I should move my car," he said.
Ethwar said he tried explaining that he had to park near the entrance
because he needed a wheelchair for his mother, but a policeman "told me to
move my car before he charged me, so I asked him when it had become a
criminal offence to wait for another car to reverse".
"That's when he just lost it," said Ethwar.
He said another policeman then pulled his keys out of the ignition.
Ethwar said he pleaded that his mother was sick, but the officer replied, "I
don't care, she's not my mother".
In July, The Independent on Saturday published cellphone images of a
Chatsworth scrapyard manager, Daya Pillay, 50 being throttled on the floor
by Metro Police members. This week Pillay said the harassment has continued.
Dog
The SAPS has also come under fire from the ICD for setting a police dog on a
suspected hijacker in Umzinto about two weeks ago. The incident was recorded
on a cellphone.
There have been many questions raised in recent weeks over the number of
suspects who have been shot dead by police while in custody.
