Some people say there is no difference!
Man
harassed by Policemen or Thugs
Man harassed by Policemen or Thugs
February
23, 2015
I am a young
Asian Male. I reside in Hillcrest. On Thursday night 19 February 2015 at around
11pm I was on my way home after collecting a client from the airport and after
taking him to his hotel when I was pulled over by a SAPS patrol van occupied by
two black male Policemen.
This was along
Old Main road in Hillcrest. The men approached my vehicle and I was put through
a verbal sobriety test which I could only have passed as I do not drink
alcohol.
The Policeman
at my driver’s door said that he did not believe that I had not been drinking
and he ordered me from my vehicle. I noted immediately that neither of these
men had name badges.
The Policeman
who ordered me from my vehicle told me that he suspected that I had been
drinking and that because of this, he and his colleague were going to search my
vehicle which they duly did despite my protest.
They literally
turned my vehicle inside out, even going through my personal things which
included my guitar case and sheet music. Finding nothing, I was told that I was
going to be placed into custody and taken in the back of the Police van to the
Police station whilst the other Policeman would drive my car.
I argued that I
was sober and I had not even been subjected to a breathalyzer test. Still, they
were adamant that I was to be arrested.
In desperation
I warned these two Policemen that my Father is a personal friend of a
high-ranking Policeman based at the Provincial Office KZN and that I was going
to have this incident thoroughly investigated.
With that, the
Policeman who had done most of the talking said “You think you are Clever? You
can go. We will let you off this time”.
Let me off for
what?
I hadn’t done
anything wrong.
Was this a
shake-down for money? Were these real Policemen? How many other people has this
happened to? Young people, alone at night. Naive of the law. Intimidated by the
uniform.
Please warn
others to take note of this and if these are bona-fide Policemen, then they are
bringing the good name of the SAPS into disrepute. If they are just thugs then
the public should be made aware.
