Cape Town - Anthony Roman, who works as a painter, says he will be losing R2000 wages this week after he was left with injuries and bruises to his face, eyes and legs.
On Monday, the old man spent several hours at the Mitchells Plain District Hospital for treatment.
Anthony says he was visiting family on Sunday afternoon when he was allegedly attacked by four soldiers, who broke his cellphone.
He says the soldiers told him he had to move back while they were conducting a stop and search operation in Lords Street in Beacon Valley.
Anthony explains his phone started ringing and as he answered the phone, the soldiers accused him of alerting suspects to their whereabouts and started beating him up.
“I was standing on the pavement when they told me I must walk away,” he says.
“I did what they asked me to do and just then I got a phone call from my friend whom I was going to visit.
“While I spoke on the phone, they grabbed it from my hands and accused me of passing on their information to others.
“I told them I just got a phone call. They took the phone and smashed it in front of me.”
Anthony says he was pushed into the backyard of a house where the four soldiers attacked him: “I felt so humiliated and hurt in that moment and I still do.
“They started kicking me with their boots and beat me with their firearms on my head.”
Anthony was taken to the Mitchells Plain District Hospital and is now preparing to open a case against the soldiers.
“My face is swollen, my legs hurt and I can barely walk,” he adds.
“My eyes are red and I had to call my boss this morning (yesterday) to say that I cannot work and I am losing wages for the week.
“I have my J88 form now which will be used to open my case.
“I am not a gangster, I am an old man.”
Anthony’s son-in-law, Shafiek Adams, says they are angry at the way he was treated.
“When we took him on Sunday to open a case, we were told to come back on Monday because the police officer who deals with army cases is on duty during the week and not weekends,” he says.
“This must be exposed because my father is an old man and he didn’t do anything to deserve this kind of treatment.”