Cape Town - While the city is investigating a group of traffic cops who were caught on camera slamming an elderly man to the ground while he was handcuffed, it has come out that the victim is also a city employee.
Zainodien Allie, 51, from Pinati Estate, was recently appointed as the Safety and Security Officer for Ward 48, in Hanover Park.
In the clip, taken at a BP garage in Belmore Road, Mountview on Monday, a handcuffed Allie is manhandled by four traffic officers who then throw him to the ground.
Allie can be heard crying out in pain, as the man making the video asks an officer why they did that, as Allie said he would cooperate.
One officer then asks why he is filming when he knows “it’s wrong” and the man responds that his brother is also a traffic cop and he knows the law.
Allie's story
According to Allie, he had been on his way to help his uncle, Yusuf Davids, 81, who had been pulled over by a traffic officer on Belmore Road for using his cellphone while driving. His uncle asked him to remove the sim card from the phone and then hand it back to the officer.
“The officer asked why I was involving myself,” Allie said. "I made sure my uncle was OK, then headed down the road to the garage.”
Two Traffic Services vehicles with four cops arrived at the garage.
“The officers came and tried to grab my keys," Allie said. “One of them pressed my hand through the steering wheel and held my wrist down and the other officer almost broke off my key trying to get it out of the ignition.”
He got out of his car and walked with the officers.
“Next thing I know, they slam the cuffs on so tight, I can’t feel my hands," he said. "They lift me off the ground and slam me to the ground. Luckily I lifted my head that moment, or I would have had a broken neck.”
Allie was taken to Lansdowne police station, where he was released and warned to be in court the following morning on a charge of resisting arrest.
Case thrown out
He went to court, but says the case was thrown out.
“There was no breaking of the law on my side," he insisted, "and I need these officers to take responsibility for what they did to me.”
Mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith confirmed an investigation is under way.
“We take these allegations very seriously and the matter is receiving urgent attention," he said. "The overall conduct of the officers in terms of their behaviour at the scene, their professionalism, and compliance with the law will have to be determined.
"We will also have to get the officers’ version of the events."