Three SAPS officers are under investigation after video footage emerged of them assaulting a group of men in Worcester.

The clip, which has been doing the rounds on social media, has gone viral and attracted the attention of Worcester SAPS cluster commander Major-General Nomthetheleli Mene, who is heading up an inquiry into the events, which allegedly took place in an industrial area on Monday.

In the video, the officers appear to be in the process of searching and/or questioning the men, before one of them assaults the first man standing beside the police vehicle.

Another officer then uses a sjambok to beat the second man.

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You can also watch the video here.

According to IOL, the men in the video have not been identified.

Mene says that the van belongs to the Ceres police station, and is currently being used by a police unit in Worcester.

“The officers in the video have been identified and interviewed as part of the investigation.

“The investigation is ongoing and is expected to shed light on what had happened prior to the recording commencing.”

Regardless of the circumstances, the use of a sjambok by police officials is not only forbidden but unlawful.

“The SAPS in the Western Cape wishes to place on record that the beating up and manhandling of individuals and/or suspects is against departmental directives and prescripts that govern the handling of persons by police officials.”

SAPS has asked that they be left to conduct their internal investigation before providing any further information.

[source:iol]