Photo: Facebook
Photo: Facebook
A woman from Atteridgeville, Pretoria has exposed the sheer contempt that a group of police officers showed towards her last week, after she went to report a case of GBV at her local station. Lethabo Nontuthuko was so shocked by the cops’ refusal to help, she ended up filming the confrontation – and it’s a terrible look for the Gauteng SAPS.
Gauteng cops ignore GBV victim
The video only caught part of the dismal response, but it’s still a clip full of shockers from these law enforcement officials. As a collective, they fall way short of the standards we should be setting for the police forces of South Africa.
- One of the officers threatens the woman, and tells her ‘not to bore them’.
- Another claims they cannot help her, as the alleged assault ‘took place at a drinking establishment’.
- Sadly, a female officer on duty shows no empathy, and refuses to name her obstructive colleagues.
Officers turn a blind eye to GBV distress call
Nontuthuko described her ordeal on social media, and explained that she was ‘harassed by a bouncer’ at a nearby bar. However, there was a reluctance to believe her story – and the officers seemed more bothered about their coffee.
“I was harassed by a bouncer from a popular establishment. I went to ask for help from our beloved cops… did they help me? No. The guy said he won’t help me. He further said he can’t speak to me because he doesn’t want to talk English.”
“I then asked the lady, what’s this guy’s name? She then said to me ‘nna Osang bora’. A whole woman didn’t even wanna hear what I had to say. They went on to have their coffee as usual – is this what our country has come to?”
Watch: Gauteng police fail to report ‘harassment case
Investigation ‘now a top priority’ for SAPS
The victim has since confirmed that she is now ‘receiving all the necessary support’, and a police investigation into the matter has since been launched. We understand that the probe has been prioritised by Gauteng SAPS. Nontuthuko, meanwhile, has been putting the cynics of social media right back in their place:
“Some of you will have went on about how ‘drunk people misuse state resources’. Does being under the influence mean you are not supposed to get assisted if you are victimized? Also, having been at a club doesn’t mean one was drinking. This is me standing up for myself and other women. I will not be silenced! I will fight this till the bitter end.”
