‘So cruel’: SA outraged as cops ‘force’ homeless to throw away blankets

South Africans have been left outraged by a photo that shows Durban Metro Police officers forcing homeless people to throw away their own blankets. The post which has gone viral has sparked a number of reactions from locals who have asked why cops would take the blankets at the beginning of what looks like it is going to be a very cold winter.

Mzansi up in arms as Durban cops ‘throw away homeless people’s blankets’

Durban Metro Police officers have been slammed as heartless and cruel after a photo surfaced of them forcing a homeless man to throw his blanket away was shared online.

The incident happened in Umbilo this week while the officers were performing a “clean-up operation”.

Members of the Umbilo Community Policing Forum group shared that the officers, who are visible in the photo were attempting to get groups of people sleeping outside businesses on Gale Street to move.

Also in the photo is the rubbish truck where the homeless were allegedly being forced to throw away their blankets.

Netizens are not impressed

The Facebook post has sparked outrage among locals who say that the actions are especially cruel because of how cold it is at the moment.

Louveelco Nel said:

“Absolutely unfair and Inhumane!”

A few people, however, defended the officers who they say are doing their duty to clean up the area and keep the community safe.

Allegations are denied

Metro police spokesperson Parboo Sewpersad has denied the allegations and says that the one homeless person in the photo volunteered to throw his own blanket away.

According to Sewpersad, the homeless person in question said he was “tired of being moved by police” and then proceeded to throw his own things away.

“But this particular vagrant [in image above] said that he is tired of being moved by the police. He voluntarily put his stuff in the refuse truck. Businesses have been complaining to us because they can’t open their doors because the vagrants sleep outside them,” Sewpersad said according to IOL.

Sewpersad also slammed NGOs for encouraging homeless people to stay on the streets as opposed to moving them to homes and shelters while adding that cops have always done clean up operations:

“The city has been doing clean-up operations for many years. Part of the problem is vagrancy, and the NGOs are encouraging this kind of behaviour on the street rather than taking them to shelters and homes.”

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