The man, from Strand, is now recovering in hospital, while the police’s watchdog the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has launched an investigation into the incident.
In the four-and-a-half minute video, Daylin Pepe, 19, from Tarentaalplaas, is manhandled by two uniformed officers as he resists getting into a police van.
A large crowd of about 100 people gathers and there are shouts from the community for cops to leave Pepe alone.
“Hy het niks op hom nie” and “los hom, hoekom slaan julle hom” can be heard from women in the growing crowd, with people urging others to record the incident on their cellphones.
Three men then tried to break Pepe away from cops, and then two shots are fired.
It is unclear from the video whether law enforcement officers discharged any firearms.
Pepe is seen falling to the ground, clutching his leg and screaming in pain.
A witness and one of the videographers, Martha Williams, 39, says cops searched Pepe on the stoepie of a nearby shop.
“He did not have drugs, or a knife or a gun. They searched him and then they soema started klapping him around,” claims Martha.
“They wanted to prove a point. Hulle wil net onse kinnes so moer.”
Ipid spokesman Moses Dlamini confirms: “This matter has been reported to Ipid on Saturday morning with different versions of the events. This office will be taking over the investigation to determine if the police report is true. If not, those responsible will be investigated for defeating the ends of justice, amongst other offences.”
Pepe is currently being treated at the Helderberg Hospital.