AN officer from the SAPS provincial inspectorate component has visited the Brackenfell police station following allegations by the EFF that officers failed to arrest a suspect captured assaulting their member Sibongile Nkasayi with a baseball bat.
The party had turned to the office of Acting Provincial Commissioner, Thembisile Patekile, lodging a complaint against Brackenfell officers.
In response to the letter by EFF provincial chairperson Melikhaya Xego, police spokesperson Novela Potelwa told the Cape Times: “The office of the provincial commissioner is in possession of a formal complaint with regards to an investigation into an assault case registered in Brackenfell in November 2020. The complaint is currently being looked into. An officer from the SAPS provincial inspectorate component has already visited Brackenfell SAPS. Once the provincial inspectorate officials complete their work, a detailed response will be provided to the complainant.”
In the letter, the party accuses Brackenfell police of failing to arrest the suspect during last year’s protest over alleged racism at Brackenfell High School.
Xego called for the officer who handled the case to be investigated and for the station commander, the head of detectives and the detective to whom the case was allocated, to be suspended.
“It is disheartening that Ms Nkasayi was violated with impunity in broad daylight by a white man and yet no arrest has been made. Instead the case has been closed. This has left chilling effects, and further subjected Ms Nkasayi to undue anxiety and disappointment,” said Xego.
He said it was “deeply troubling” that Brackenfell police have decided to close this case of assault, citing a lack of leads.
“This inaction by the Brackenfell police raises suspicions that this case, together with other similar cases, has been closed because the Brackenfell police are protecting the perpetrator for the reason that he is white and privileged. If state resources are being used to protect those who are privileged, who will protect the vulnerable and poor like Ms Nkasayi?”