Almost a year later, Thando Botha’s baby boy still screams in fright whenever he hears a loud noise.
Botha, 42, is convinced his child, Iminathi Matyo, is still reacting to his alleged assault by about 10 police officers at about 8.30am on April 12 2020 — just more than two weeks into the hard lockdown.
His son was seven months old at the time.
The police allegedly took turns kicking Botha while his sister, Pamela, 48, and his son sat in their vehicle.
At the time, people were only allowed out for essentials, with schools closed and most businesses barred from operating.
Botha had been driving to the pharmacy to fetch TB medication for his sister but was
pulled over in Cotani Street in Bhongweni location.
“There was no roadblock and the police told me to stop my car,” he said.
“When I did, they asked where we were going.”
Botha said his sister tried to explain but the police ignored this.
“They wanted me to open the boot and then said they were fining me for being mobile during the curfew,” Botha said.
“I told them that was fine but could I drop my sister off at the shop, then come back to fetch the fine.”
Botha was about to climb back into his vehicle when one of the officers allegedly grabbed him.
“They [allegedly] kicked me in the ribs, head and legs.
“I tried to stop them from stomping on my chest because I had recently recovered from TB, but they carried on.”
Ipid spokesperson Ndileka Cola said the investigation had been completed.
“The NPA declined to prosecute this case and Ipid did not recommend any departmental steps against the members.”
According to Botha, an elderly women came out of a nearby house and shouted at the police.
She could not be reached for comment.
“I was shocked and afraid for my son,” he said.
“When they stopped beating me, they put me inside a police van.”
When they arrived at the Cookhouse police station, he was charged for assaulting a police officer.
He was then taken to the Somerset East police station at about 1pm.
“I slept in jail on Sunday at the Somerset East police station and was released a few days later after I appeared in court.”
After his release on April 14, he went straight to the Cookhouse police station and reported the alleged assault.
NPA spokesperson Anelisa Ngcakani said Botha had been charged with resisting arrest.
“He allegedly grabbed the hand of a policeman and bit through his finger,” she said.
He was also charged with contravening the disaster management regulations.
Botha had another run-in with the law on June 21.
Ngcakani said, along with the earlier charges, he also had to answer for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
He was also charged with reckless driving, attempted murder as he allegedly tried to run over a police officer, and resisting arrest.
“The case has been provisionally withdrawn while [we wait for] the blood results to come back,” she said.
Botha, however, denies the allegations, saying the police were trying to intimidate him.
In the second incident, he said: “I was about to park my car at home when the police vehicle drove in front of me.”
He said he quickly turned his steering vehicle and ended up damaging a side mirror on the police car.
“I was shocked when they drove the car in front of me.”
Botha said he was surprised to learn about all the charges as he thought they had been dealt with by the courts.
“There was never a police officer that I tried to drive over.”
On biting a police officer, he said: “While they were kicking me, one police officer was strangling me.
“I bit him, because I could not breathe.
“I feel unsafe with the police here. I do not trust any officer from Cookhouse.”
Botha said he was too scared to drive his vehicle and had opted to sell it to avoid future confrontations.
“My child is still petrified of any loud noises or large crowds that make a noise after the day I was beaten up,” Botha said.
Pamela said she wished she had never asked her brother to take her to the pharmacy.
“The baby was crying uncontrollably in the car while I was battling to breathe.
“I did manage to shout at the police.”
She said she saw them allegedly kicking him while he was on the ground.
“One pulled out his tongue at me. I was hurt. They are wrong.”
HeraldLIVE
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