Police member assaulted

By Ofentse Mokae
18 August 2009

Khayelitsha police are investigating a case of assault and theft of firearm.

This is after a 35 year-old off-duty police officer from Stellenbosch, was assaulted by a group of protesters in Khayelitsha on Sunday.

Police were monitoring a group of angry residents, in Lansdowne road, protesting about service delivery.

Police spokesperson Captain Anneke van der Vyver says the man tried to get away but the crowd grabbed him.

“The police Constable tried to make his way through the crowd, but was stopped, the crowd took him out of his vehicle and assaulted him,” said van der Vyver.

She says police members immediately moved in to disperse the crowd and the badly injured member was taken to hospital.

“It is believed that his firearm was taken from him during the scuffle. The passenger in the vehicle escaped only with minor injuries,” she said.

Anyone with information regarding the incident or whom can assist the police in the recovery of the firearm is requested to contact the Investigating Officer, Insp Christa Swart, Khayelitsha Detective Services, on 082 850 9791or 021-360 2397 during office hours.