A Camperdown woman fleeing a man she believed might be a hijacker drove to a police station for safety. But instead of finding refuge, she was assaulted by her pursuer, who turned out to be a traffic officer, while police stood by and did nothing.
To add insult to injury, the woman was then arrested by Camperdown police.
Farmer PJ Ward said his wife, Jude, was driving in the fast lane along the N3 from Pietermaritzburg when a man in a white unmarked twin-cab bakkie tried to pass her. As she tried to move from the fast lane, the man placed a blue light on the bakkie's roof and chased after her.
'He choked her and banged her head on the ground'
Suspecting a hijack attempt, Ward said, his wife decided to drive to the Camperdown police station because she thought she would be safe there.
"My wife could not move immediately from the fast lane, so the man in the bakkie put up his blue light and pressed behind her. After she moved, the man wagged his finger at her. She decided to stop at a nearby police station for safety."
However, said Ward, instead of receiving the protection she sought, his wife was assaulted in front of police officers.
"When she got off her car, the man, who was wearing a brown traffic officer's uniform, attacked her by grabbing her neck and pushing her into the ground. He jumped on top of her and grabbed her bag. All of this happened in front of police officers, who just watched."
He said the man, believed to be a member of the Road Traffic Inspectorate's public transport enforcement unit, told his wife, while on top of her, that she should look at his uniform and obey his orders. He said the man weighed about 120kg and was in his thirties.
"He choked her and banged her head on the ground. These officers are supposed to protect the public, but instead they use their positions to show that they have power and should be feared," said Ward.
He said his wife was traumatised by the assault and even more shocked when she later ended up behind bars for not obeying an officer's orders, while the traffic officer went unpunished.
"What is wrong with the law enforcers in this country? My wife was only trying to find a safe place to stop so that she could talk to this man; instead, she was attacked."
Ward said his wife was checked by a doctor for internal injuries. She was released on a warning to appear in the Camperdown Magistrate's Court today.
"Jude had bruises to her neck and arms, and was bloodied as well," he said.
"For 30 years I loved this country with all my heart, but now all I want to do is leave. I am tired of living in fear, not only of criminals, but of police brutality as well," he said, adding he was determined to return to Ireland.
He said he would contact the Irish embassy to report the matter and seek its assistance in leaving the country.
Ward said his wife had been involved in a similar incident with local police last year, but they had decided not to report the matter for fear of being victimised.
"Now we will not keep quiet, and since we have made this incident known, many people have come forward with similar horrific experiences involving the people who are supposed to protect us."
Police Superintendent Vincent Mdunge said a case had been opened against the traffic officer and the matter would be investigated.
He added that the police officers who had failed to assist Mrs Ward would face an internal disciplinary hearing for negligence.
Road Traffic Inspectorate spokesman Rajen Chinaboo said he did not have all the details of yesterday's incident at hand, but he said that motorists should not stop for people travelling in unmarked vehicles.
He said the inspectorate did not condone the actions attributed to the officer.
