Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa.
The 36-year-old sergeant based at the Lomanyaneng police station was taken into custody while on duty on Wednesday, Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesperson Moses Dlamini said on Thursday.
Dlamini said that on March 7 two police officers were allegedly seen harassing a boy near a tuckshop in the area.
"After the police had finished talking to the boy, the complainant called the boy to advise him about what to do should he feel that he was treated badly by the police," he said.
The man, a court interpreter at Molopo Magistrate's Court, said the same police officers called him to the police vehicle on the driver's side to confront him about what he said to the boy.
"The driver grabbed the complainant by the neck and asked him if he knew what police were capable of these days. The policeman allegedly drove off and dragged the complainant for about 100 metres," said Dlamini.
The man suffered injuries to his feet and was taken to a hospital by his neighbour.
The matter was reported to police on Tuesday. It was later reported to Ipid.
The sergeant would appear in the Mmabatho Magistrate's Court on Friday facing a charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
'Good police officers'
Meanwhile, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa on Thursday said that Daveyton residents should work together with the police to root out criminals within the South African Police Service.
"There are good police officers and there are bad ones out there, unfortunately. No police officer will be allowed to disrespect the public," he said.
Mthethwa spoke to residents outside the home of taxi driver Emido Macia in Daveyton.
Mthethwa, Gauteng community safety minister Faith Mazibuko and Gauteng police commissioner Mzwandile Petros visited Macia's family following his death in police custody on February 26.
Earlier that day, the Mozambican national was dragged behind a police van which was filmed by a bystander.
The cellphone video, posted online by the Daily Sun, at first shows the man arguing with two police officers. There is a scuffle, then three more officers arrive, they wrestle him to the ground before attempting to bundle him into a vehicle. As a large crowd of people watch, Macia is then handcuffed to the back of the vehicle and dragged down the street.
Macia was taken to the Daveyton police station in Gauteng, where police filed charges of assault with intent to commit grievous bodily harm against him. He was found dead a few hours later.
Daveyton crime summit
Mazibuko, Mthethwa and Petros on Thursday also listened to complaints from the community at a church in Daveyton.
After having a private meeting with the family, Mthethwa said he paid respects to them on behalf of government.
"We were warmly received by the family and I also expressed regret over what happened to Macia."
He said a crime summit with the people of Daveyton was in the pipeline.
"The crime summit will not be a talk shop, but about finding real solutions to problems we have now."
Mthethwa and his team were holding a closed meeting with the Daveyton officers at the police station. – Sapa