The EFF is fuming after the police dropped their investigation of a case in which a white man allegedly hit a black woman with a baseball bat during protests in Brackenfell late last year.
EFF supporter Sibongile Nkasayi says she was left with bruises on her back after a man assaulted her during a confrontation between white residents and EFF protesters over an allegedly racist incident at Brackenfell High School.
The protests in November followed allegations that black pupils had been excluded from a matric event.
EFF provincial spokesman Wandile Kasibe said the party condemned the police for not making an arrest. The case had been opened last year, but the complainant had received an SMS on Tuesday saying it had since been closed and would be reopened if there were new leads.
“How is it possible that the police are unable to track down a perpetrator who was caught on camera in broad daylight? Is SAPS protecting the perpetrator at the expense of the victim? If the police fail to discharge their primary responsibility, what will stop criminals from acting with impunity?” he asked.
Ms Nkasayi told the Northern News that a man had hit her four times on the back and waist.
“I was swollen and had bruises. I felt I was beaten up by a strong man. It’s affected me mentally and emotionally. When I see the videos, I get flashbacks.
“When I see a white guy, my anger starts to simmer. I want justice. They only dropped the case because they’re protecting the assailant.”
Brackenfell police had only contacted her twice – to tell her that they were no longer pursuing the case. “They just did not try hard enough to get me justice in this case,” she said.
The EFF would ask the Hawks and the provincial police commissioner to intervene, Mr Kasibe said.
“Had it been a white person who was assaulted in the same manner, there would have been an arrest made by now, but because it is a black woman who was assaulted by a white person, the police have decided to close the case, citing a lack of leads. As the EFF in the province, we are not surprised because white privilege and racism are alive and well in the DA-led Western Cape,” Mr Kasibe said.
Brackenfell police spokeswoman Captain Eric Crous said the case had been investigated, including 37 other cases. She said the video of the incident had been presented to court.
“There are still cases before court with future/remand dates and therefore no further aspects will be discussed at this stage,” she said.