Man says police did nothing

AN EZIBELENI man has claimed he was assaulted by a community member in full view of the police during a community policing forum (CPF) meeting in the Ezibeleni Community Hall recently and that police subsequently declined to open a case.

Nkosana Lufele said station commander lieutenant colonel Bekekile Waka had been at the meeting which, he claimed, was the first since the election of the structure in 2014.

He said he raised his hand to have an item of community engagement added to the agenda, but that he was labelled as ‘destructive’ when he tried to raise the issue.

Lufele said the community meetings were politicised and claimed he had been labelled by ANC members as a trouble maker to the police during a caucus.

The agenda, which included the introduction of Waka and other stakeholders, the introduction of the structure by the youth chairman and listing of sector managers and members, had led Lufele to question why people were being called to a meeting of “introductions while living in a crime-ridden area,” he said.

He claimed a man grabbed him from behind, dragging him out and trying to headbutt him.

“The police were watching and they did nothing.”

He said the man, who could not be identified, took him outside and continued trying to assault him.

Lufele was later left on the floor by the man whom, he said, then walked off the premises.

Lufele said he tried to open a case the following day but, “The police officer who was attending to me said I was lying and he would rather take me to the man who assaulted me for a talk rather than to open a case. After about two hours he gave me a J88 form (which is used to document assault injuries) but I decided to leave. I could tell nothing would come out of it.”

Mdleleni said Lufele was disturbing proceedings and was called to order before being taken out of the venue so the meeting could continue.

She confirmed that the police had been at the meeting and said once Lufele had been “called to order” outside the hall, he behaved in a correct manner.

“He then participated in the meeting until the end,” Mdleleni said.

Mdleleni did not respond to claims that the police had refused to open a case and had instead proposed that he and the other man talk about the matter.