SANDF soldier filmed slapping woman during Tafelsig confrontation

A SANDF soldier has been filmed slapping a woman twice during a confrontation in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain. The incident has raised questions about the conduct of soldiers under Operation Prosper, which deploys soldiers alongside police in Cape Town communities. In the footage, the woman appears to be shielding another woman from the soldier.

The soldier is heard telling the woman to "f#@k off" and can be seen slapping her again after her husband approaches him. Despite the ongoing conflict, the soldier raises his firearm. The husband pulls her away before the soldier can strike her a third time. A second video shows the woman's husband speaking with police after the incident.

Cape Argus has inquired about a potential criminal case and police actions, but no response has been received. DA MP Nicholas Gotsell expressed deep concern over the footage, stating that there can be no justification for an unlawful assault by a soldier. He questioned the presence of SAPS members and the apparent disparity between the number of soldiers and police officers on the scene.

Gotsell emphasized that soldiers, trained for combat, must not substitute for adequately resourced SAPS during deployments. The incident follows a previous SANDF soldier's arrest for hitting and kicking a woman during a joint operation in Elsies River.