Daily Sun (November 12 2013) IT WAS just a lazy night of pool, phuza and happy talk in the tavern . . . until the cops arrived!
Then the peaceful scene turned into a night of terror and abuse as the cops stormed in.
THEY KICKED AND BEAT PEOPLE, HUMILIATING AND ABUSING THEM, ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LAW.
In CCTV footage viewed by Daily Sun, the patrons are suddenly seen running into the tavern, scattering in different directions as they fled into the tavern in Matsulu, outside Mbombela in Mpumalanga.
Soon the reason for their terror was obvious: armed cops came strutting into the tavern, marching around the room like stars and clearly enjoying the spotlight. The male patrons were lined up against the wall and searched while the women were chased out.
It is clear from the footage nothing was found on the people - but this was not the end of the abuse for the people.
Some cops who had gone out came back in and started beating the men. One officer grabbed a pool cue and hit people with it until the cue broke in half. Other officers forced men to lie on the ground. They were stomped on with heavy police boots while a cop splashed booze over the men on the floor. Another cop started hitting people with an empty beer crate.
The incident happened at 10pm on 26 October but the people didn't say anything until 3 November, when another incident made them decide to talk.
Lucky Melele (23) told Daily Sun he was driving in his BMW near Matsulu with a friend when he heard gun shots behind him. He carried on driving but was forced to stop when shots struck his car.
"After we stopped, police officers pointed firearms at us and started kicking us," said Lucky.
"They said we had stolen the car. Suddenly I was suspected of stealing the car I had owned for years."
He said the cops carried on beating them up and warning them to keep quiet. "They said they would open a case of drunken driving against us but we opened a case of assault and nothing is happening," he said.
It was after this attack that the video footage was released to Daily Sun.
The tavern owner asked not to be named or to comment. "No one wants to talk about the matter because they fear the police," he said.
"But the CCTV footage speaks for itself."
Provincial police spokesman Brigadier Selvy Mohlala referred questions about the two incidents to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.
Their police spokesman, Moses Dlamini, said he was not aware of the matter.
"I can't comment as I know nothing about the incident. I will check the docket and if the case has been opened, we will investigate," said Dlamini on Thursday. - AENS
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