The journalist, who was at the time standing on the bridge, was taking pictures about 50m away from the scene, before a SAPS officer ordered him to move away and to no longer take photos.
“I moved away to stand at the end of the bridge on the other side of the N17.
I was then again approached by the officer who first pushed me against the guardrail and then dragged me down to the highway,” says Mthupha.
“The officer then grabbed my camera and tried to erase the photos. I, however, held on tightly, even trying to remove the memory card as to preserve the photos.
“The plastic covering on the view finder broke off in the struggle.
“Luckily a paramedic, who was officially on the scene, arrived to defuse the confrontation, explaining to the officer that I had the right as the media to take photos. I then left the scene with my camera and memory card intact.”
The matter was brought by the Advertiser to the attention of Brakpan cluster commander Brig Wessie van der Westhuizen, who said he cannot condone such unlawful behaviour within the SAPS.
He promised that action will be taken against those involved.
At the scene, police were investigating what appears to be a suicide by a 24-year-old woman who jumped off the pedestrian bridge crossing over the N17 highway.
SEE STORY HERE:
The SAPS think they own everything and that they can do anything they want to. I hope he gets what he deserves after treating people who update the community of news etc… to such shame
This kind of behaviour by SAPS officials is both, abusive and unlawful. Hopefully the cluster commander will take your complaint seriously and formal criminal charges of assault and malicious damage/injury to property will be pursued against the officer concerned. It is not good enough to say that he did so “in the course of his duties” as he has the duty to act lawfully at all times.
O.kay So he shouldn’t have been manhandelled and the saps was wrong bit the real story is the young girl a friend of mine jumping I think the journalists story is a minor thing so get over it.
It was truly deviating seeing the picture of my sister…. I didn’t go to the scene, but I’ll be haunted by that image always.
I do understand reporting on the incident, but the initial picture was just to much .