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Gunshots: Lerato Mocholodi claims he was shot in the hand while he was at his home in Sebokeng. PHOTOS: SIBUSISO MSIBI

VICTIM: Johnny Pieterson says he was shot in the leg by police outside the tavern.

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The unit, known as "Amaberete" (men in berets) stormed into a tavern in Sebokeng in February and assaulted patrons, according to the owner, Thabang Makwela.

Makwela said six members of "Amaberete" ordered his patrons to lie on the floor.

"One of them stood on the snooker table. Then they started to assault my patrons. Some members of Amaberete poured liquor over some patrons and this made them angry," said Makwela.

He said things got out of hand when some of the patrons retaliated by throwing objects at the police, who in turn fired at them.

"It was bad. People were angry and police were shooting in their direction," said Makwela.

Makwela's neighbour Lerato Mocholodi claimed he was home watching television when he heard gunshots.

"I switched off the television while the shooting continued. I thought maybe somebody had been killed outside my home and decided to peep through the window. I saw a policeman and he a shot at me. A bullet hit me on my hand," said Mocholodi.

Mocholodi said he was lucky that the bullet only hit his hand. "Imagine if it had struck my head, I would be dead now," said Mocholodi.

Another victim, Johnny Pieterson, said he was walking from another tavern when he was shot in the leg.

"I heard gunshots but did not see where they came from. I saw a group of police officers, some of them wearing berets, and without any provocation they fired shots at me and I was hit in my left ankle.

"Some of them ordered me to lie down. One of them kicked me in the stomach even though I was injured," he said.

Pieterson said the police officers left him lying there.

"Later, police who were probably on patrol stopped a car and assaulted the driver. The driver was forced to crawl while another person was pepper-sprayed and assaulted.

Another policeman accused me of carrying a firearm. They called an ambulance, which took me hospital," he said.

Mocholodi and Pieterson are demanding that their assailants be brought to book.

Gauteng police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Katlego Mogale said they were investigating the two cases.

He said the cases were also being investigated by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.

Comments

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Sat May 25 20:35:34 SAST 2013 ::

Apr 4, 2012

sakhomba

Amaberete are asss wholes. when they meet you at night they ask you your name.when you answer them they say you disrespect them by talking back, then they bit you. when you dont answer them they say you disrespecting the law, and they still bit you.
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Apr 4, 2012

BaleliM

Ok, what will the p.olice do if we got our own g.uns and decided to walk into any p.olice station and started sh.ooting? Will they understand that we were having a b.ad day and needed to vent our frustrations?
This br.utality is only telling people to arm themselves and sh.oot before the p.olice sh.oots... and it is all thanks to mouths that speak without thinking and tells police officers to use force. Mcm
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Apr 4, 2012

Sopo

Our police are worse than apartheid police,they are full of anger....i am asking myself gore @ the training they teach them go bana le pelo tse mpe.
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Apr 4, 2012

lindsay

"I switched off the television while the sho oting continued. I thought maybe somebody had been kil led outside my home and decided to peep through the window. I saw a policeman and he a sh ot at me. A bu llet h it me on my hand," said Mocholodi.

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next time stay inside the house uyeke ukuthand' indaba mamghobozi
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Apr 4, 2012

OPZAZA

I HAVE A PROBLEM WIITH THESE GUY "AMABERETHE". THEY DON'T HAVE RESPECT FOR OTHER PEOPLE AND THEY ALWAYS WANT TO USE FORCE, EVEN WHERE IS NOT NEEDED.

I WISH THESE CAN BE ADDRESSED AS A MATTER OF URGENCY, OTHERWISE, I FEAR WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO THEM AS MORE PEOPLE SUFFER AT THE HANDS.
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Apr 4, 2012

branded

I fear that war is about to erupt btwn police officials aka amaberte and ordinary Samaritans
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Apr 4, 2012

KeRataBasadi

Citizens need to arm themselves, we are under attack, the "Hostel Police" are out of hand and there's nobody there to reign them in or you can let them beat you to a pulp and sue the SAPS, problem is they have no name tags, but get the vehicle registration if you can and its pay day.
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Apr 4, 2012

MORNACHIESS

lindsay
"I switched off the television while the sho oting continued. I thought maybe somebody had been kil led outside my home and decided to peep through the window. I saw a policeman and he a sh ot at me. A bu llet h it me on my hand," said Mocholodi.

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next time stay inside the house uyeke ukuthand' indaba mamghobozi.
_______________________________________________________________
Well said lindsay ..
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Apr 4, 2012

CHRIS2AWESOME

This "Amaberete" police force act like they are above everyone including the police itself. the way they treat citizens is very inhuman and disgusting. but what can i say... it still the work of ANC...sadFact
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Apr 4, 2012

HoiHoi

It's easy, this maberethe forget that they have to come out of the uniform an leave they team mates to head home then, will need a community discipline. wherether he is operating in his area or deployed somewhere he will need to be beatin to respect the community.They are like a gangstar morrr se-bono.
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