Lindiwe Sisulu condemns eviction of a naked man in Cape Town.
The naked man was forcibly evicted whilst he was in the middle of bathing in Empolweni’s makeshift homes. Police reportedly pepper-sprayed the victim and dragged him out of his home.
Minister of human settlements, water and sanitation Lindiwe Sisulu condemned the eviction which she said was distasteful, inhumane and has no place in South Africa.
The incident took place in Thembeni informal settlement in Cape Town. Sisulu said:
While we are yet to be appraised of the exact details of what led to what we have seen on various media platforms, we wish to condemn with the strongest terms an act which sought to degrade an individual like what we have witnessed. The act is inhumane and has no place in our democratic SA.
Sisulu called on the Western Cape government to investigate the incident and hold those accountable.
“However, no matter the circumstances, there is no reason for such behaviour from the people tasked with enforcing the law. We are calling on the Western Cape government to urgently get to the bottom of the incident and to hold accountable those implicated for their deplorable actions,” said Sisulu.
The City of Cape Town said on Wednesday evening it was “in the process of suspending” four law enforcement officials involved in the eviction.
In the video, Western Cape’s anti-land invasion unit are seen removing the naked man from his shack and taking him outside.
There is a scuffle as the man tries to make his way back into his shack, with four or five officials blocking his path and some pushing him to the ground.
As he tries to get back into the shack, other members of the team dismantle the front portion of the shack, which consists of the door and window. The members continue to dismantle the shack while the man sits on the bed.
Related:
- Pictures: Outrage as City of Cape Town Police forcibly evicts naked man in Empolweni
- City of Cape Town suspends police officers that evicted a naked man in Khayelitsha
Lindiwe Sisulu condemns eviction of a naked man in Cape Town.