Cape Town - In a video that has gone viral, four alleged thieves stand huddled together against a mountainside as people believed to be Theewaterskloof municipality law enforcement officers pelt them with apples they allegedly stole.
The video, which has attracted mixed reactions on social media, shows officers laughing as they through apples at them.
One officer can be heard swearing, while another asks the men, who have their backs facing the officers, “Wat sien julle daar? Berge? (What do you see there? Mountains?).”
The men cower as the apples are thrown at them and one can be seen to be pelted four consecutive times.
Christelle Vosloo, mayor of Theewaterskloof Municipality, said: “I regard the conduct of the attackers as inhuman and a gross violation of the safety and dignity of their victims. I am devastated that the victims had to endure this trauma and I believe their constitutional right not to be exposed to psychological, emotional and physical abuse had been violated.
“If any personnel of the municipality are found guilty in regard to the incident they will face the strongest disciplinary actions possible. I call on the community to give me and the municipality an opportunity to investigate the incident and to deal with it appropriately.”
Vosloo said she would meet the victims and ensure they received “all the support available to deal with the trauma they suffered”.
While a number of the comments on Facebook are against the actions of the alleged officers, there were those who agreed with them.
Brett Darren Retief wrote: “They are thieves they broke the law! They get away with a slap on the wrist! A guy got caught hot wiring a car in Thailand it was breaking news and he got 50 years no parole!”
Shaun M Craig wrote: “You find them give them an increase. They can’t afford bullets. You want to cry don’t cry when one of the poor victims rob you one day.”
Rodney Scara Brown wrote: “I’m ashamed of these utter trash in uniform. Hope they are met with the harshest punishment. An embarrassment to themselves and the badge.”
To refute allegations that the officers were members of the City of Cape Town’s law enforcement, Richard Bosman, executive director for safety and security in the city, said: “This is not staff of the city , if it was they would be fired I can assure you.”