What was supposed to be a fun boy's trip to Cape Town, ended in a hellish experience for three friends from Johannesburg who were allegedly beaten on the buttocks with a bat during a police operation in Gugulethu.
Julian van Heerden, 46, Clinton Smit, 45, and Deon Meyer, 44, arrived in Cape Town on Sunday after a 14-hour journey from Johannesburg to deliver a friend's car.
The trio said they decided to turn the trip into a mini holiday, a decision they now regret after they were allegedly by police.
Van Heerden said after they delivered their friend’s car, they went sightseeing and ended up staying at a friend’s house in Gugulethu, only to be woken up by police.
“I remember about 30 cops storming into Andile’s (the friend) house screaming at us to lay flat with our hands behind our heads.
“We did just that, and while we were trying to explain, a captain started trampling all over our feet and legs,” said Van Heerden.
The engineer said they attempted to find out from the police what was happening and to explain that they were on visiting the city.
“They told us they were searching for drugs because they were doing an operation. This captain then found a golf stick and started beating us on our buttocks while we were still laying on the ground,” he said.
“This is what still doesn't make sense because we did all those things they asked us, we didn't stop them from doing their work, but we were still assaulted.
“He then found a baseball bat and he started hitting us with it,” he said.
Van Heerden said the assault went on for more than an hour and a half with other officers standing and watching.
The 46-year-old said they were then put into a police van and taken to the station to be profiled.
“After two hours they told us they found nothing on us and let us go,” he said.
Van Heerden said after that, they were advised by another policeman to open a case.
“This officer apologised to us, but in my opinion, I believe this happens a lot more often. If we had anything illegal or did anything illegal, why didn't they arrest us? Why did they just hit us?” Van Heerden asked.
Smit said they went to a doctor to complete J88 forms to document their injuries before laying charges.
“I was scared. This is the first time I ever experienced something like this.
“You know what it feels like when you lay there hoping that the bat doesn't hit you again? You are fearing for your life.
“Its like they came in with an intention, but if they just listened they would know that we just got in a few hours earlier and were sleeping off the booze,” he said.
Smit said they were still traumatised.
Meyer said the experience had sullied their trip and would make him think hard before returning to Cape Town.
“There was a moment when I thought this is it, this is where my life is going to end. I mean, I heard of police brutality cases, but never thought it would happen to me,” he said.
The trio said they want to speak out and opened assault cases in order to stand up to the officer who allegedly assaulted them so that SAPS would deal with officers who gave the police a bad reputation.
Lizzy Suping, spokesperson for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), said their office has taken over the docket from SAPS.
“Our investigation has commenced. IPID will pronounce on the outcome once the investigation is concluded,” she said.
According to the latest IPID statistics, 215 cases related to complaints against officers in the Western Cape were referred to SAPS management for steps to be taken against officers. Of these, 160 cases were assault.
Western Cape MEC for Policing Oversight, Reagen Allen, urged IPID to finalise their investigation and hold the relevant perpetrators accountable for the “heinous crime”.
“The alleged assault on three men by members of the Gugulethu SAPS is deeply worrying.
“SAPS is an entity that should serve and protect all citizens, while enforcing the law without any brutality.
“The picture of at least one victim which I’ve seen suggests clear bruising to the back and buttocks of a male.
“We cannot have situations where officers operate outside the confines of the law, as they should be the living example of a law-abiding citizen,” he said.