COPS LEAVE HOUSES UPSIDE DOWN IN RAID

NHLANGANO – A group of armed police officers allegedly smashed doors and shattered glasses in their wake as they rummaged through several homesteads.

A number of startled residents of Nedso, outside Nhlangano, spent the entire day counting their losses yesterday following the early morning raids which were apparently targeted at certain youths, who allegedly assaulted a police officer who was on duty during a recent clash in the area.

The group of over 10 police officers is said to have stormed the area at around 3am yesterday, forcing entry into about seven homesteads, without even identifying any occupants. Although some of the homesteads were unoccupied, the police officers allegedly continued to ransack the houses, leaving everything inside upside down.

Armed

Other families said they woke up to the sound of breaking doors as the heavily armed officers forced entry without even introducing themselves.
One particular elderly woman told this publication that a group of armed officers entered her residence shortly before 5am and pointed guns at everyone inside, before they rummaged through the property.

“We were terrified. They were asking us about the whereabouts of certain young men from the area. They were pointing guns at us,” she said. At the time, the occupants of the house had no idea why their house had been targeted, or why police had forced entry into their homestead.

“We did our best to cooperate, with our hands held up high in the air as they ransacked the house,” narrated the woman.
Another resident described how much she was shocked when she returned to her house to find it a mess. She said she had gone to visit a relative over the weekend.

“I first received a call from a neighbour who told me police were terrorising people around the area. I did not pay much attention because I had no business to do with the police, not knowing that my house was also raided. I was shocked when I found several items, including my ceramic plates broken into pieces,” said the upset resident.

The resident said what annoyed them was that the police did not find anything inside their houses or make any arrests. She said the police exercised excessive force from the very beginning, yet there was no one obstructing them in whatever they were doing.
“Let’s say they were looking for something, why didn’t they introduce themselves in a civilized manner instead of breaking doors, and pointing guns at innocent people?

Who is going to compensate us for the damage they caused in our houses, and why are these people really terrorising us?” she asked.
The disgruntled residents hinted they were contemplating taking legal action against the police over what they described as wrongful raids.

Assaulted

Other community members said they were assaulted, and their cellphones confiscated by the police. The early morning raid was confirmed by the area’s Indvuna who was only identified by his last name, Vilakati.
“There has been a heightened police interest in the area. It came after some youths clashed with the police recently. We have also heard about the complaints from the community.

As the community leadership, we are not against police visibility or them doing their work. In the same vein we do not condone any attack on police officers. I have already been sent by the area’s elders to go and have an audience with police superiors over the same issue,” said Vilakati.

Confirmed

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed that police had been to the area, searching for certain individuals who were involved in a recent attack on some officers who were on duty.

“It is really important for people to understand what we are doing to root out crime from society. What we know is that a search was launched for these particular individuals, but we are not aware of any vandalised property. However, anyone who feels they may have been wronged is free to approach the police and lodge a complaint,” she said.

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