Arthur Greene
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) is investigating a case of assault after Democratic Alliance (DA) federal chair Helen Zille was filmed being dragged out of the Fernwood Primary School voting station by a police officer on Monday.
Zille is shown being forcefully removed from the Bethelsdorp school by a man in police uniform in the minute-long video, which was published by HeraldLIVE.
Witnesses, who appear to be other party members, can be heard telling the man to stop “manhandling” Zille, while the councillor tells the person filming to “just take a picture of him.”
Towards the end of the video, the officer is shown reaching towards the camera. It is alleged that he confiscated the phone and later returned it to the individual.
It remains unclear what prompted the officer to decide to forcefully remove Zille from the premises.
“It’s alleged that the complainant is Mrs. Helen Zille,” Ipid spokesperson Grace Langa said in a statement.
“It is alleged that she opened a case of assault against a police officer after they mishandled her,” the statement continued.
Image source: Polity.org
Video source: @HeraldNMB
