Two men were arrested on the spot after allegedly assaulting a female police officer during crime prevention duties in the Kimberley CBD, Northern Cape police have confirmed.
A video of the incident, which has since gone viral, shows a man attacking the female constable while she was performing her duties on Monday.
In the footage, the man, whose identity has not yet been released, can also be seen pulling off the officer’s weave.
Members of the public appear to attempt to assist the officer, and a second police vehicle arrives shortly after to support the officer under attack.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Mashay Gamieldien said the Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Northern Cape, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, has strongly condemned the assault.
“In the video that has gone viral, a man can be seen attacking the female member who was conducting her duties,” said Gamieldien.
She confirmed that two men were arrested at the scene by other SAPS members who were part of the same crime prevention team.
The suspects face charges of assaulting a police official, resisting arrest, defeating the ends of justice, and malicious damage to property.
Gamieldien added that the officer sustained minor injuries and received medical attention. She is also undergoing counselling and debriefing provided by SAPS Employee Health and Wellness (EHW) unit professionals.
Lieutenant General Otola reiterated that the SAPS would not tolerate violence against its members.
“No one is above the law. Those who attack our officers will face the full might of the law. An attack on police officials is a direct attack on the state,” she said.
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