A Kleinvlei family is claiming they were assaulted by South African National Defence Force soldiers in their home for filming an attack on their neighbour.
On Thursday night, Tammy Isaacs, 25, took to Facebook post to show her and her father Dale’s wounds after the alleged attack.
The family has opened a case with police, which will be investigated by Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).
The family had been watching movies when they heard a commotion outside their home and peeped through their window and witnessed the army storming the neighbours’ property.
Tammy’s mother, Tercia, 43, says a police officer showed up on her doorstep and then the trouble began.
“He told us that something had happened before in the area and apologised for what we had witnessed,” she said.
“We continued to watch our movie when the SANDF banged on our front door. They must have seen the light from Tammy’s cellphone.”
IRK: The family has been left traumatised
Tercia says her husband tried to keep the door shut, but the soldiers broke it down and stormed inside, frightening the five kids, one grandchild and pregnant woman in the house.
“They started assaulting my husband and at one stage shoved a gun in his mouth,” she adds.
Tercia says as Tammy ran for her room, a female cop began assaulting her to get her cellphone and asked if anyone inside the house was a media member.
“They were shouting where the cellphone was and they managed to delete what they wanted to and they wanted to assault my 14-year-old child and I shouted they must stop as there was a woman who was 13 weeks pregnant inside the house.”
Tammy and Dale were rushed to hospital by the same neighbour who had been assaulted.
Tammy had bruises to her body and Dale suffered a concussion.
Tercia says she is disgusted at how they were treated as they have been taking precautions during lockdown
“Only one of them (officers) had on a mask and here I have been protecting my family because there are those who have asthma inside the house.”
Siphiwe Dlamini, the South African National Defence’s head of communications, says they are unable to comment as the matter is being investigated by police: “They have opened a case with police and we cannot comment as this is now in the hands of police.”
Sontago Seisa, the Acting National spokesperson for IPID, has released statistics relating to investigations involving police or army brutality during the Coronavirus lockdown.
TENSE: IPID is investigating an assault case opened by a Kleinvlei family who say they were attacked by the army
“There were 12 cases related to Covid-19 (nationally), of which seven were assault (one in the Western Cape), three the discharge of a firearm, and three deaths,” he said.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana confirms that a case of assault to cause grievous bodily harm was opened and that it would be investigated by IPID.
