Police watchdog to help moms file complaint against Cambridge officers

Two mothers have accused Cambridge police station officers of protecting their colleagues from prosecution by refusing to open cases against them.

After queries by the Dispatch on Wednesday, the Independent Police Investigations Directorate (Ipid) said it would assist the mothers to open cases.

Khuselwa Ndobeni and Amanda Mali from Nkanini location in Cambridge say police put their children’s lives in danger through the reckless use of tear gas.

On Sunday, Cambridge police dispersed a group of people playing soccer at a nearby field saying they were contravening lockdown laws.

Ndobeni, a mother of a sixweek-old boy, and Mali, whose 12-year-old son is disabled, said officers threw tear gas in front of Ndobeni’s shack as they pursued the players.

However, when they went to lay a complaint against police at their own station they were “chased away like dogs”.

Ndobeni told the Dispatch she depended on social grants and was concerned the incident might have left her child with breathing problems.

“Those police are protecting each other because they know what they did was wrong and unlawful,” Ndobeni said.

Ndobeni said she wanted justice but she did not know who to turn to for help.

“I was inside my shack with my baby when they threw the tear gas on my door.

“My neighbours came to help me because they thought my shack was on fire,” she said.

“That time I was stuck inside with the baby but I managed to open the door.

“I went outside with my baby and there was chaos — people running in all directions.”

Ndobeni said she tried to get the police’s attention by screaming at them, but her cries fell on deaf ears.

“When I called them to see the damage they were causing they looked the other way.

“I wanted to explain to them that my child is only six weeks old but they were throwing tear gas into my house.

“They didn’t listen to me, they just threw another tear gas canister in front of my neighbour’s house. And they shot him with rubber bullets.

“At Cambridge police station we were treated like dogs. They just threw us out when they saw the tear gas canister we kept,” she said.

Mali, 35, said she had to seek help to carry her child, who was born without the ability to walk.

“Khuselwa’s shack was filled with smoke and it came straight into my shack and I had to look for people to come to help me. Carrying my child is heavy.

“By God’s grace, two men who were also running from the police saw me and they came to help me.

“My other three children managed to go out on their own and I was also worried about them as they are also young,” Mali said.

She said her son inhaled the tear gas.

“Now he’s afraid police will return and hurt him again, and I don’t know what to tell him.”

Ipid spokesperson Ndileka Cola told the Dispatch: “Ipid EC has contacted the complainant — this office will assist her in opening the case.”

Eastern Cape police spokesperson captain Khaya Tonjeni said: “We implore the complainant to report the incidents as well as the names of the members implicated in this unacceptable conduct within SAPS to lay an official complaint with the relevant station commander, so that the incident can be investigated and appropriate measures taken against those who are found to have transgressed.”

He said should the complainants be dissatisfied with the response, they should approach the district commissioner’s office, and finally the provincial office.

I was inside my shack with my baby when they threw the tear gas on my door