Western Cape Court Awards DJ Who Lost His Eye Because of Police Brutality Almost R2 Million

• A DJ who lost his eye as a result of police brutality won almost R2 million in damages in a ruling that highlighted the severity of police brutality
• The DJ was assaulted as part of a raid during an event when the police started shooting into the crowd unprovoked
• He was shot in the eye with a rubber bullet and was awarded almost R2 million in damages as he had PTSD and could not continue his career

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered police investigations, police shootouts and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE — A former DJ who was left without an eye because of police brutality will receive almost R2 million in damages from the South African Police Service.

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Police brutality victim compensated

The former DJ was working at an event in Cape Town when members of the South African Police Service started shooting into the crowd for no apparent reason. In the ensuing chaos, the DJ was shot in the eye with a rubber bullet. His eye was replaced with a prosthetic eye, and this severely affected his self-esteem.

He opened a case against the police, and a week later, they visited him and allegedly assaulted him in his mother's presence while he was recovering. They also reportedly pepper-sprayed him. The judge handed down the judgement and condemned the incident as a brutal and senseless assault.

Netizens slam the police

South Africans on Facebook voiced their disappointment at the act of police brutality.

Paul Molane said:

"It's not enough. You're not going to see properly for the rest of your life."

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Lize Summers said:

"And so the taxpayers' money is wasted again because the police force has arrogant and disrespectful bullies for employees."

Sylvia Joy Wilson said:

"I hope that money comes out of the offender's pension, not from the taxpayer."

Police assault salon worker

In a related article, Briefly News reported that police assaulted a foreign national working at a salon in Cape Town.

The man's assault happened when the police stormed into his workplace. He escaped to a backroom, where they followed him and started assaulting him. The incident was recorded on camera.

Source: Briefly News