This archive report was first published on 2 July 2020.
On July 2, 2020, a disturbing video emerged from Khayelitsha settlement in Cape Town, showing four police officers dragging a naked man from his home during an eviction.
The footage, which has sparked widespread outrage, shows the man being thrown to the ground and prevented from re-entering his shack. When he manages to break free and run back into his home, the front wall is ripped off, leaving him exposed.
South Africa's Housing Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, condemned the incident, calling it 'inhumane' and stating that it 'has no place in our democratic South Africa.'
City of Cape Town's safety and security chief, Richard Bosman, announced that the four officers involved in the incident would be suspended pending the outcome of an investigation.
According to Bosman, the informal settlement in Khayelitsha is subject to a demolition order and had been earmarked for redevelopment. Only 49 homes are allowed to remain on the land temporarily until after the lockdown.
