SA: Police under attack: 3 Policemen injured, vehicles stoned, 1 attacker wounded, Westenburg
(000228.79-E000157.73NRLOSUC20V)
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo Major General Jan Scheepers has strongly condemned the incident where the police came under attack on Saturday 2 January 2021 at Extension 44 on the outskirts of Polokwane. This after some community members started throwing stones and other objects at the police members following the arrests of four undocumented foreign nationals in the area.
The police were busy with Safer Festive Season operations at Greenside Extension 44 under Westenburg policing area at about 17:05 when they arrested four foreign nationals for being in the country illegally. During the arrest, one of them allegedly took out a knife and advanced towards the police members, allegedly threatening to stab them but was shot and injured.
The brother of the injured foreign national allegedly incited community members in the area to attack the police who then started throwing stones and in the process, injuring three police members and damaging their three vehicles. Community members then released all arrested illegal immigrants from police vehicles.
The injured members were taken for medical treatment and were later discharged.
Subsequent police investigations led to the re-arrest of the injured foreign national aged 32, after he was traced and found admitted at the local hospital. He is under police guard.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the conduct that was manifested by the said community members. The police will not tolerate any form of lawlessness and any attack on them will be responded to appropriately”, said General Scheepers.
The police have opened cases of illegal immigration, assault on police, escaping from custody, malicious damage to property and incitement to commit crime.