ELIAS and William said they are lucky to be alive after being beaten up by cops.
Elias Makhubela (35) and William Molebatsi (28) said they were at their salon in Soshanguve, Tshwane on Monday afternoon when cops arrived and beat them up.
“The Letlhabile cops told us they want us to die like the cop who died in Letlhabile,” they said.
The cops allegedly started beating them up, mistaking them for the house owner.
Elias said the cops just came to the house and started beating them up with batons and firearms.
“They later said they were looking for Lucas, the house owner,” he said.
He said the cops took them to a Tswaing Crater resort, which the security guards opened for them.
He said the guards were laughing and told the cops to throw them in the river when they were done beating them.
“They took us to the inner part of the resort where the police said they were going to kill us. It was so bad we believed them,” he said.
He said William was being choked with plastic over his head while they dragged them around on the ground.
“I thought I was going to die there,” said William.
Elias said he thought he would never walk again.
“When they dropped us off at the Letlhabile Police Station at about 2am on Tuesday morning, they told us to find Lucas and bring him to the police,” said Elias.
“They didn’t bother to take us to hospital or check if we were seriously hurt.”
He said they lived clean lives and were making an honest living and do not deserve to be abused by police.
“They must pay for what they did to us,” said William.
Elias and William opened a case at the Soshanguve Police Station.
Rietgat Police Station spokesman Warrant Officer Lolo Mangena confirmed that the two opened a case.
“The matter is under investigation,” he said.
