"Kwere - Kwere "

On Special Assignment this Tuesday, we investigate allegations of abuse, xenophobia and assault by the Booysens police.

Following our expose of extortion and bribery by the Booysens police last week, we now look at the experience of a Congolese woman who was allegedly beaten with a wheel spanner by the Booysens “raiding squad”. The woman received ten stitches after the alleged assault.

When Special Assignment arrived at her house about two hours after the event, she was still covered in blood. There were several witnesses who described in detail what had happened.

The Congolese woman and her Nigerian partner live in Rosettenville. One Sunday morning in July, the Booysens raiding squad stormed into their house. Without identifying themselves, they demanded to see the refugee papers of two people who were visiting them at the time.

The police looked at the papers, threw them aside, called them kwere-kwere (foreigners) and allegedly beat the woman with a wheel spanner. Her partner was then arrested for allegedly interfering with a police investigation. A pistol was allegedly pointed at him.

Both people claim that the police warned them not to attempt to lay a charge as they would “get back at them”.

The husband was locked up for the night. When the woman went to the Booysens Police Station to complain and to find out what had happened to him, she was again told not to bother to lay a charge as it would not be investigated.

Special Assignment has spoken to various other immigrants who also allege abuse and assault. From our investigation a clear pattern of xenophobia on the part of the Booysens police has emerged.

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