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By Se-Anne Rall 
7h ago
Durban: An internal investigation into a dispute between two KwaDukuza Township peacekeepers and a Shaka’s Rock resident found that officers did not mistreat the 4-year-old boy.
Additionally, the municipality claimed that the father in the video had attempted to flee from the officers who arrived to arrest him and others for violating level 4 blockade regulations.
According to municipal spokesman Sipho Mkhize, “the municipality can confirm that the boy who was seen being handled in the video, was handled in terms of the Children’s Law, and was taken to a safe place after the father’s arrest.
“It is the officer’s responsibility, as in this case, to protect and safely handle the child in arrest cases by taking him to a safe place, as was the case with these officers who did not mistreat him.”
Mkhize released a statement Tuesday, hours after the video of peacekeepers grabbing the boy and then arresting his father went viral on social media.
He said that according to their internal investigation, they discovered that KwaDukuza township officials received a complaint from people who violated the rules and were at Shaka’s Rock Tidal Beach.
“It was around 08:45 a.m. when officers arrived at Shaka’s Rock Tidal Beach and observed people on the beach, which is not allowed under the level 4 blocking rules,” he said.
Mkhize said there were also children with the group of adults.
“The officers informed them of their transgressions and their rights. Eleven people were arrested. There were seven children. Four of them were delivered safely and correctly to their homes and without harm.
“The other three children were being processed for safe delivery to their homes in the same locations seen on video when this incident occurred,” he said.
Mkhize said 11 people were arrested for violating the Disaster Management Law.
“The person who recorded the video was also arrested for the same violation. In addition, we have learned that the man who causes the drama by fleeing to avoid arrest is an employee of the Health Department of the Chief Albert Luthuli Hospital,” he said.
Mkhize said the boy was taken away after his father’s arrest.
Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal Prime Minister Sihle Zikalala has called for order after the incident.
“We do not condone any form of abuse against citizens, especially children, during the national closure of Covid-19. While municipal peace officers have a responsibility to maintain peace in their neighborhoods during the closure, child abuse does not it would be tolerated since it is a violation of the Constitution, “he said.
MESS
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