WATCH: No 'revenge attack' carried out on foreign nationals - Mbalula

Police Minister Fikile Mbalula speaks during a visit to Vanderbijlpark following the attack of police officers at a drug den. Picture: Khanyisile Ngcobo.

Police Minister Fikile Mbalula speaks during a visit to Vanderbijlpark following the attack of police officers at a drug den. Picture: Khanyisile Ngcobo.

Published Oct 23, 2017

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Johannesburg - The police ministry on Monday denied there were any "revenge attacks" carried out by police officers following an altercation between Vanderbijlpark police and foreign nationals. 

This comes a week after the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) confirmed it was investigating allegations that a "revenge attack" had been carried out by police on foreign nationals who had been filmed attacking their colleagues at an alleged drug den in the area. 

In a two-minute video making the rounds on social media, a furious crowd can be seen attacking police officers while a deceased man is seen lying in the yard. 

According to reports, officers then allegedly returned to the house where the attack took place and proceeded to vandalise the place and assault the occupants of the house. 

Police Minister Fikile Mbalula on Monday denied allegations that a revenge attack had been carried out by police. 

He was in the area taking part in South African Police Service (SAPS) operations as well as visiting the house where police officers were attacked.

"At our disposal, there was no revenge attack by the police. There was an attack on drugs... as well as maintenance of law and order."

"We've had all our units on the ground doing their job... there's been a lot of arrests that have been made, close to 76."

Mbalula also revealed that the police were cleaning the streets of peddlers, some of whom could be traced all the way to Hillbrow. 

Adding to this was acting national police commissioner Lt-Gen Lesetja Mothiba, who confirmed that the officers who had been attacked were currently making a recovery but were yet to return to active duty. 

"All the officers [who were attacked] are off sick... but we giving them all the assistance because what they went through was a bad experience."

"Our members have opened cases against those who've assaulted them... those people have run away and there is a team of detectives hunting for them so we need help catching them."

Mbalula and Mothiba were joined by the Emfuleni mayor as well as SAPS provincial leadership.

Police Minister Fikile Mbalula speaks during a visit to Vanderbijlpark following the attack of police officers at a drug den. Picture: Khanyisile Ngcobo/IOL.

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