JOHANNESBURG — The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has initiated internal disciplinary proceedings against two officers after a viral video surfaced showing an alleged motorist assault during a routine traffic stop. JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla confirmed that the officers have been removed from active uniform duty and reassigned to administrative roles while the department and the South African Police Service (SAPS) investigate the incident.
The controversy stems from dashcam footage that circulated widely on social media on July 23. The video depicts a male and a female JMPD officer pulling over a vehicle occupied by a driver and a passenger. During the stop, the male officer is heard accusing the driver of swearing at him while requesting his driver’s license. As the exchange intensified, the officer used profanities, prompting the motorist to repeatedly request that he be spoken to respectfully. The confrontation allegedly escalated when the officer grabbed the driver by the neck, reiterating the accusation that the motorist had sworn at a police officer.
Addressing the public outcry, JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla stated that the department became aware of the footage last week and immediately reached out to the victim. A formal statement and complaint have since been lodged with the JMPD internal affairs unit. While the officers involved have not been formally suspended, they have been stripped of their active uniform duties and reassigned to administrative capacities pending the outcome of the investigation.
When questioned about the decision to keep the officers in administrative functions rather than suspending them, Fihla explained that the city’s processes dictate that suspended employees continue to receive full pay while at home. By reassigning the officers, the department aims to prevent them from interacting with the public while avoiding paid leave during the pending investigation. Fihla emphasized that the internal affairs unit is specially equipped to handle matters of misconduct, criminality, and misbehavior, and that the officers’ current administrative roles limit their public interaction without interfering with the ongoing probe.
Furthermore, the victim has opened a separate criminal case against the officer with the South African Police Service. Fihla confirmed that the JMPD has identified both officers involved, who have acknowledged their presence in the video and their involvement in the incident. The department pledged its full cooperation with the SAPS criminal investigation.
Concluding the discussion on the department’s standards, JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla echoed the organization’s stance on professional conduct. On the face of the video evidence, the JMPD strongly condemns any form of misbehavior or misconduct by its members. The department reiterated that its core mandate is to uphold the law in the most professional manner possible, describing the events captured in the viral footage as highly concerning and subject to full legal and disciplinary action.
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