AN alleged assault by an off-duty police officer against an Empangeni resident, in broad daylight on Friday last week, has caused a torrent of outrage on right wing social media platforms.
But attempts to verify the incident as described, have failed.
The Zululand Observer was sent a number of online links where the attack on alleged ‘unprovoked’ victim Kobus Reyneke was described.
According to the sites, a trip to a local store resulted in blood spatter and missing teeth on Friday when the alleged officer ‘stood on the road and blocked’ Reynecke and his vehicle occupants from turning.
Ethel Skye Smit, one of the passengers, states that Reynecke was physically assaulted and the occupants were threatened.
‘He stood in the way and Reynecke asked where the man wants to drive to and proceeded to pass him and park aside in a vacant bay,’ said Smit.
‘Suddenly the man’s entire upper body was in the car and beating him profusely.
‘I tried to help get that monster out our car but he carried on like an insane person and tore Reynecke’s shirt and broke his teeth,’
‘He eventually walked away and returned to his vehicle only to realise he was a SAPS member,’ Smit said.
Spread on Facebook
Following the incident, people took to right wing social media site ‘Farmitracker’ and Facebook page ‘Boere Krisis Aksie’ to vent their anger over the attack after a picture of the battered Reynecke had been uploaded.
Although the complainant said the incident was verified by Farmitrack, Empangeni SAPS Spokesperson Captain Mbongeni Mdlalose said a case of assault had not been opened.
With the allegations lacking a number of critical facts, the Zululand Observer also submitted a list of questions in an attempt to gain accurate information but was continually referred back to the sites.
This included asking for the SAPS case number, vehicle registration and contact details of victims for an interview and to verify the facts as alleged.
‘The allegations are extremely serious and can only be attended to if a charge is laid.
‘In the event that allegations that the attacker was a policeman are untrue, this could have serious implications,’ said Mdlalose.’However, the person making the claims cannot be charged with statutory perjury unless he has formally written a statement under oath,’ said Mdlalose.
‘In order to lay a charge, there would have to be valid evidence and witnesses.
‘Thus far there is no substantiated evidence that the alleged assailant is in actual fact a police officer.
‘However, given that it may well be a racial attack; a complaint may be laid with the Human Rights Commission,’ he said.
