Durban - The DA is calling for the two peace officers caught on camera physically grabbing a 4-year-old boy and later arresting his father to be suspended with immediate effect.
On Tuesday, the DA's councillor in KwaDukuza, Tammy Colley, said she had written to municipal manager Nhlanhla Mdakane, calling for the men to be suspended pending the investigation.
"No matter what the context of the incident or what led up to this situation, it is simply unacceptable for municipal officers to behave in this manner.
"We have been consistently raising the issue of training, or lack thereof, of law enforcement officers with regards to their mandate. It seems that proper training on law enforcement and arrests are not taken seriously in this municipality," Colley said.
She said no person was above the law, including law enforcement officers.
"We will ensure that this matter is treated with the urgency it deserves to ensure that no one else has their rights infringed on by officers who lack knowledge of the law," she said.
Colley added that the 'thuggish behaviour' was unacceptable and had no place whatsoever in a democracy.
The ordeal was captured on video and has since been shared across WhatsApp and Facebook groups hundreds of times.
In the clip, two officers are seen entering a property. They walk up to the child and grab him.
The child then starts crying and a man, thought to be his father, runs to grab his other arm. A scuffle ensues over the child. After a few seconds, the men let the youngster go and he is told to run to another adult woman, standing nearby.
The officers then grab the father and handcuff him. They walk towards the gate, attempting to leave and are still holding onto the man.
Municipal spokesperson Sipho Mkhize said they were aware of the incident. He added that an internal investigation into the incident was underway.