The North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, has welcomed the arrest of five suspects for the attack of police officers.
The incident occurred on Thursday in Freedom Park near Phokeng, outside Rustenburg.
According to reports, two detectives from Phokeng police station were officially on duty and conducting investigations in Freedom Park.
The members found a 51-year-old suspect wanted for assault. They warned the suspect accordingly and requested him to accompany them to the police station.
The suspect then allegedly blew a whistle and members of the community gathered at his place and locked the gate, tied up the police officers with ropes and assaulted them with knobkerries.
The police officers were also robbed of their cellphones, while the State motor vehicle was damaged.
Subsequently, Public Order Police (POP) and Tactical Response Team (TRT) members rescued the pair, who sustained serious injuries.
The suspects, aged between 24 and 51, were arrested for robbery, assault on police officers, aiding a suspect to escape and malicious damage to property. The suspects are expected to appear on Monday before the Bafokeng Magistrates' Court in Tlhabane.
Kwena condemned the incident, which he said is tantamount to undermining the authority of the State -- an act that "cannot be tolerated".
He urged members of the community to work together with the police in the fight against crime. – SAnews.gov.za
