The Tshwane metro police officers who tore up a Blue Bulls rugby jersey outside court where Blue Bulls player Jacobus “Bees” Roux appeared will be “severely” reprimanded, the community safety department said on Tuesday.
Describing the act as “unprofessional and undisciplined”, strategic executive director Daniel Manganye said in a statement that the department did not support this poor behaviour.
Some officers, who were apparently on duty last Friday, threw a torn and shredded Blue Bulls jersey in the air outside the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court, laughing and ululating.
Roux (28) was in court on a charge of murdering metro police officer Johannes Mogale. The mayoral committee member for community safety, Dikeledi Lehobye, also attended the court proceedings.
Most seats inside the packed court room were occupied by metro police officers while some family members stood throughout proceedings.
Manganye indicated that this incident and others around the case would be investigated.
Apology
He has since issued an apology in writing to the Bulls Rugby Union and also made telephone contact with CEO Barend van Graan on the incident.
“Remedial steps will be put in place immediately to prevent this type of action from happening again in future.”
Roux’s case was postponed to December 10 for further investigation. He is currently out on R100 000 bail.
He was arrested at 2am on August 27, after Mogale’s body was found lying in Schoeman Street in Pretoria, with head injuries.
Mogale had reportedly earlier pulled Roux over for suspected drunken driving. However, it emerged during his bail application that no alcohol tests were done.
It is alleged that Mogale was driving Roux’s car to take him home when Roux allegedly beat him to death.
However, Roux claims that he acted in self-defence, as the officers had tried to rob him. — Sapa