Publications
- A newborn baby's father arrested for breaking the curfew while buying milk formula is threatening to take steps against the police.
- The man's lawyer, Lily Rautenbach, said her client had rushed to Unitas private hospital in Centurion, to buy milk formula for his daughter.
- The man's wife was forced by police to walk with their two minor children and carry the newborn baby from their home, to fetch the formula from her husband.
A man arrested for breaking the lockdown curfew while buying milk formula for his newborn baby, is threatening to take steps against the police.
The man was arrested on Friday at around 02:30, in Centurion near his home.
The man's lawyer, Lily Rautenbach, said her client had rushed to Netcare Unitas Hospital in Centurion to buy milk formula for his two-day-old daughter.
"About 500 metres away from his home, he was stopped by the police who didn't show any humanity. He explained to them that he had to rush to the nearby hospital to buy baby formula," said Rautenbach.
"He even tried to show them proof of the formula and police officers arrested him despite evidence why he went out during the curfew. They didn't even allow him to take the baby formula to his wife who was at home with two other minor children."
'Suffered severe humiliation'
"Police forced the man's wife to walk with their minor children and carry the newborn baby from their home, to fetch the baby formula from her husband who was being arrested."
The man was currently at home after being released by the police.
"We will be appearing in court very soon. We need to give my client a break. My client has suffered severe humiliation. We will take necessary steps (against the police) in due course. We have a community behind our client. He is receiving sympathy from his community. He is stressed and still in shock, overcome by emotions and saddened by the incident," said Rautenbach.
Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters told TimesLive the police viewed the allegations regarding the incident in a "very serious" light.
Peters reportedly said provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Elias Mawela had ordered an urgent internal investigation into the matter.
