Rustenburg – In a shocking incident in Freedom Park near Phokeng, outside Rustenburg, five individuals have been apprehended for assaulting police officers. The North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, has expressed approval of the arrests. This event unfolded on Thursday and involved two detectives from the Phokeng police station who were carrying out official investigations in the area.
According to South African Government News Agency, the police officers encountered a 51-year-old suspect, wanted for assault, during their investigation in Freedom Park. Despite attempting to detain him peacefully, the situation escalated alarmingly. The suspect reportedly summoned community members using a whistle, resulting in a hostile gathering. The gathered individuals then confined the officers by locking a gate, binding them with ropes, and attacking them with knobkerries. Additionally, the officers were robbed of their cellphones, and their state motor vehicle was damaged. Eventually, the Public Order Police and Tactical Response Team intervened, rescuing the seriously injured officers. The arrested suspects, ranging in age from 24 to 51, face charges including robbery, assaulting police officers, aiding a suspect’s escape, and malicious damage to property. They are scheduled to appear before the Bafokeng Magistrates’ Court in Tlhabane on Monday. Lieutenant General Kwena sternly condemned the incident, emphasizing that such acts, which undermine state authority, are intolerable. He also called for community cooperation in combating crime.