Watch: Traffic officer caught on camera assaulting motorist receives ‘letter of intention to suspend’

An internal investigation was launched after a video clip showing a traffic officer assaulting a community member went viral on social media.

The Makhuduthamaga Municipality revealed that it had served the traffic officer a letter of intention to suspend pending the investigation.

The incident happened near a petrol station in Jane Purse, Limpopo, on Saturday.

In the video, the traffic officer is seen slapping the motorist multiple times before tripping and pinning him to the ground.

The assault allegedly started after the traffic officer pulled the man over for drunk driving.

According to the municipality’s spokesperson, Lemson Moropjane, the traffic officer is expected to give reasons why he should not be suspended from work.

Makhuduthamaga mayor Minah Bahula expressed his dismay over the incident and condemned it with the “strongest possible terms”.

He urged the municipal manager to act swiftly, “expediently and decisively” on the matter.

“We wish to apologise to the public. The incident portrays a bad image and bring our municipality into disrepute. It is not like our municipality to behave like that.

“In our more than 20 years of existence as a local government, this is the first incident of this nature which not only belittle us, but also destroys our culture as the municipality .

“We hope the public understand the measure we have taken which is commensurate with this act,” said Bahula.