Johannesburg -
An inspector at the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) in Alberton has opened a case of assault against members of the Ekurhuleni metro police department.
The inspector, Jaco Pieterse, said a colleague - a manager at the SPCA in Alberton - had called for assistance last Friday morning.
This was after EMPD members had entered the SPCA premises and blocked the driveway, threatening her.
Rose Stafford, Pieterse’s colleague, said the EMPD officers demanded a bull that Pieterse had confiscated earlier.
Pieterse said he had been driving on the R59 from Vereeniging just after 10am on Friday when he stopped a bakkie transporting the bull. He said the animal was being transported in an unacceptable manner.
“It was tethered on its side. Both legs and the neck were tied with a nylon rope. The animal was severely swollen in distress,” said Pieterse.
He said the rope had affected the bull’s blood circulation as it had been fastened too tight.
“Members of the SPCA, police and EMPD were called to the scene to assist. But, far from assisting, they tried to convince both the SPCA and NSPCA personnel to permit the further transportation of the bull to its destination,” he said.
The bull was confiscated and taken to the SPCA in Alberton instead.
Pieterse said the couple in the bakkie bragged about having relatives who worked for the EMPD and SAPS.
Just before 4.30pm, as Stafford was about to leave for the day, she was surprised by EMPD members arriving at the SPCA.
Stafford said they had returned to get the bull for a traditional ceremony.
“The gate was opened when they arrived. They were very disrespectful, aggressive and abusive.”
She said one EMPD member, who had a bag full of meat and bones, told her that he would push the bag down her throat.
“They went inside the offices and called us ‘f***ing bitches’. An officer pointed his finger at me just before they pulled their vehicle next to the gate. They were blocking our way out.
“They told us that we would stay inside. I then called for help from my colleagues, a security company and police,” said the 57-year-old woman.
Pieterse said he had found officers in uniform on his arrival.
“As I walked out of the car, an officer grabbed and attacked me. He used a two-way police radio to attack me on my head, left leg and other parts of my body,” he said.
Police spokesman Lungelo Dlamini confirmed that a case had been opened in Alberton.
“Police haven’t arrested anyone. It will be discussed with the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] once investigations have been finalised,” said Dlamini.
EMPD spokesman Wilfred Kgasago confirmed the incident. “We are gathering information from both parties. We can only comment once we have information,” he said. - The Star