VALENTINE’S Day started with tears in Phuthaditjhaba, Free State, when the police allegedly went to Mathapelo Ngoatjhe’s house at night.
They allegedly slapped Mathapelo (46), her younger sister Nthekeleng Maphielle (33) and her kids.
According to Mathapelo, the violent cops saw her 25-year-old son coming from his friend’s house. They then called and accused him of house robberies, and started beating him up.
She said her younger sister tried to intervene, but unfortunately fell into the aggressive hands of the cops, too.
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“I heard my sister screaming, and woke up. I asked what was happening, and that is when a cop started insulting me, calling me a b***h and repeatedly slapping me in front of my child. I fell down and started crying for help. I am blind and crippled after an accident, now imagine the hand of a man on my face. The same cops denied us the opportunity to open a case against them at Phuthaditjhaba Police Station,” she said.
The Sun Team saw a short video of the cop violently saying “voetsek” and a picture of a crying woman saying they had been beaten up at their home without knowing what they had done.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is investigating a case of assault against the officer.
Free State IPID spokeswoman Ndileka Cola said: “The blind woman was allegedly slapped numerous times on her face by the officer.”
She added that the police were reportedly at the house to arrest two people.
“The woman heard her sister screaming and crying. As she reached out to check what was happening, she heard slaps and requested her daughter to take a video. That is when the officer, who was just standing at the burglar gate, slapped her numerous times.”