If the allegations by two Zwide residents prove true, what happened in their homes on September 4 was not policing.
It was an abuse of power, and the allegations are deeply disturbing.
A group of people dressed as police officers entered two homes in the early hours of the morning, assaulted two men, demanded to know the whereabouts of a firearm, and allegedly left with cash and valuables.
One of the men says he was struck with a hammer.
CCTV footage viewed by The Herald appears to show at least 11 people in police uniform leaving one of the homes.
It also appears to show one member of the group striking one of the cousins from behind with what looks like a hammer.
These are allegations, and they must be investigated properly. The accused are entitled to due process, and nobody should be found guilty in the court of public opinion.
But the allegations are so serious that they demand more than opening a docket and conducting a routine investigation.
They demand accountability.
Because if police officers can enter people’s homes, allegedly assault them and take their possessions without lawful justification, then the damage extends far beyond the two families involved.
It hits at the foundation of policing itself.
Police officers are given enormous powers precisely because society trusts them to use those powers lawfully.
Once residents begin to fear the uniform rather than feel protected by it, something fundamental has gone wrong.
It is also why the investigation must be independent, thorough and followed wherever the evidence leads.
There can be no different standard for those wearing the uniform.
If the officers acted lawfully, that must be established. If they did not, they must be held accountable.
The victims and residents of this city deserve nothing less.
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