Police brutality: Nearly 60,000 cases opened against cops in 10 years

On March 11 2020, a 22-year-old Tembisa soccer coach, Musa Magasela, was shot and killed allegedly by police. It is alleged that he was mistaken for a hijacker. Ipid was investigating the matter while the hashtag justice for Musa Magasela trended on social media, as South Africans demanded justice.

On February 14 2020, a 46-year-old blind woman was allegedly slapped several times on her face by a police officer in Phuthaditjhaba, Free State.

Ipid said the officers were at the woman’s house to arrest two other people for other crimes. “The 46-year-old heard the screaming and crying of her 32-year-old sister. As she reached out to check what was happening, she heard slaps. She allegedly requested her 21-year-old daughter to record the assault on video, that’s when the police officer who was standing outside opened the burglar gate and slapped her on her face numerous times,” the police watchdog said.

On January 18 2020, two victims were sjamboked by police officers in Worcester in the Western Cape. The video of the incident went viral, causing an uproar on social media.

Police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe did not respond to a TimesLIVE query for comment.