Video of Axe Attack on Delft Police Constable Goes Viral As South Africans React to Brazen Criminals
- Video has surfaced of an attack on a police officer outside the Delft Police Station in Cape Town, in the Western Cape
- The videos showed unidentified men brazenly attacking the officer outside the Community Service Centre
- South Africans took to social media to weigh in on the viral video, sharing varied reactions to the footage
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Source: Getty Images
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
WESTERN CAPE – The video of a South African Police Service (SAPS) member being attacked in Cape Town has gone viral on social media.
The constable, who was standing outside the Community Service Centre at the Delft Police Station, was attacked by a suspect wielding an axe. The attack happened in the early hours of Monday morning, 8 June 2026.
Three suspects have since been arrested for the arrest, and the officer was taken to a hospital where he is said to be in a stable condition.
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Video surfaces of the attack
The initial reports of the attack sparked mixed reactions online, and the video is now doing the same.
In the clip, which is approximately two minutes long, a group of people can be seen standing outside the police station. Seconds later, chaos broke out as two of the people hurriedly walked away from the scene, while a man dressed in grey tracksuit pants and a black top arrived and began swinging an axe.
Source: Getty Images
The unidentified man targeted an individual in a brown jacket, who was the officer, and repeatedly struck him with the axe. The assailant seemingly had assistance from another individual who pushed the officer to the ground. Another man, who was dressed in a black top and maroon pants, seemingly attempted to stop the attack, but his actions drew the attention of the assailants, who then chased him.
The officer, to his credit, got back onto his feet and pursued the suspects who exited the frame of the video at that stage. They later could be seen running away from the scene as officers gave chase. One of the SAPS members could also be seen firing a warning shot to disperse the assailants.
South Africans weigh in on the video
Social media users weighed in on the video, sharing mixed reactions to it.
@Luckyma17834060 said:
“If criminals are not winning on the streets, they are not getting any targets. It has now got to a point where criminals follow everyone, regardless of being officer or not. This happens when crime is out of hand. It simply means no one is safe in this country.”
@Luckyma17834060 asked:
“Attacking officers at their own station? The audacity. Where must the ordinary people run to?”
@Miz_Ruraltarain noted:
“Criminals these days are no longer hiding.”
@Sir_Detective stated:
“Our cops are useless. You are being attacked, and you fire a warning shot. I am disappointed.”
@SonwabileSony said:
“The police station’s cameras are also poor. Hai.”
@YoungMabopane exclaimed:
“SA is violent.”
Other stories about officers being attacked
Briefly News has covered several stories about officers being attacked by members of the public.
- A Western Cape officer was stabbed in the neck while he was on his way home from work in March 2024.
- Members of the SAPS' Anti-Gang Unit police officers fled Westbury after the community attacked them.
- In September 2025, a naked man was arrested for grabbing a Cape Town officer's gun and firing it.
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Source: Briefly News
