An alleged assault by a policeman at a Pietermaritzburg SAPS community service centre has left the chairman of the Mountain Rise CPF bewildered and traumatised.
Jay Jugwanth claimed he was punched in the face last Friday night while assisting a local attorney, Surendra Singh, who was allegedly being mistreated by police officers at the station.
Jugwanth said Singh had wanted information on a court order regarding a matter concerning a client.
“Simultaneously, he wanted to know why SAPS Mountain Rise was executing an order on behalf of the sheriff, as well as the names of the two policemen who went to his client’s residence in his absence and displayed no decorum to his employee.”
Jugwanth said Singh had called him to the station for assistance, and on entering, he noticed a captain was “shouting” at the lawyer.
“I intervened and listened to both Mr Singh and the captain, who was still belligerent, not displaying any Batho Pele principles.” (The guidelines on how government staff should deal with the public.)
Jugwanth claimed the captain responded by saying he could not disclose the contents of the court order, and that the lawyer should call SAPS radio control and get the names of the two policemen who went to his client’s home.
“I suggested to the captain that he get the information from radio control and convey it to Mr Singh. The captain then suggested that we wait for the shift control supervisor and request him to secure the information from radio control.”
The men allegedly waited outside in the car park of the station for the shift controller, who arrived 20 minutes later.
“He was accompanied by two warrant officers who greeted me and I introduced myself to the supervisor as the CPF chairman. The supervisor told Mr Singh he had sent the two policemen who were in his company to execute the court order. He told us he had the right to do so and he became threatening towards Mr Singh for no reason.”
He said Singh requested the names of the two policemen, but they pointed to their name badges, which he claimed could not be seen in the dark, refusing to tell him.
Inside the station, he said, one of the policemen threw a pen and a scrap of paper in front of him, telling him he should write down the names himself.
“As I looked at his badge, he punched me in the face for no reason and was prevented from further assaulting me by Mr Singh and a civilian in the station.
“Immediately, a warrant officer told him to go behind the desk and ‘cool off’.”
Police spokesman Major Thulani Zwane confirmed the matter had been reported to SAPS. “Both parties have opened a case of assault against one another and the matter is being investigated.”