Cape Town – EFF deputy chairperson of the Lejweleputswa region, Rasake Ntauli, and the station commander of Ventersburg police station, Captain Francois Odendaal, have reportedly opened assault and counter-assault cases.
A video surfaced on Twitter showing Odendaal allegedly “manhandling” Ntauli and forcing him into a police cell.
According to Times Live, Ntauli, along with two other community leaders, went to the police station to seek an update on a murder case where a farmer is a suspect.
They believed there had been little progress in the investigation over the past month and wanted the station commander’s intervention.
However, the officer refused to discuss the matter with them and ordered them to leave his office, Ntauli said.
Ventersburg Police Station in Free State…. pic.twitter.com/pDTFqauHrf
— Las’Namba (@Rangwane_tsido) August 1, 2023
He said that as they resisted leaving, the officer pushed one of the community members outside and then physically confronted him, eventually dragging him out and arresting him.
Ntauli denied assaulting the officer and accuses the commander of making up stories to cover his own “blunder”.
Free State SAPS spokesperson Brig Motantsi Makhele on the other hand said: “The station commander allegedly arrested the man for assaulting a police officer after the man seen on the video came to his office and started to push him around. The matter is being investigated internally, and the necessary steps will be taken if so needed.”
Both parties have opened assault and counter-assault cases, and the police have initiated an internal inquiry.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) will also investigate the incident.
After spending approximately six hours in police holding cells, Ntauli was released and said that he suffered bruises, a sore back, ribs, and injuries to his private parts as a result of the incident.
He expressed his intention not to let the matter go, as it has “traumatised” him.
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Picture: EFF
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
