KNYSNA NEWS - An investigation has been initiated, following an incident yesterday (February 19) when Knysna-Plett Herald journalist Christo Vermaak was threatened with arrest in his office for taking photos of two policemen searching a vehicle, the driver and a passenger in a public road.

The two police constables who rushed into his office also threatened to confiscate his camera.

Vermaak was standing outside the Knysna-Plett Herald’s office when a police vehicle, with siren and blue lights, chased after another vehicle past the newspaper offices, just before 14:00. They stopped the vehicle about 200m from the office and the journalist, still standing outside the offices, took photos of the action. About 15 minutes later two police constables entered the newspaper’s office and threatened the journalist, even calling for back-up.

Vermaak telephoned South Cape Police spokesperson, Captain Malcolm Pojie, who explained to the constables that they had no right to arrest the journalist or confiscate his camera. They ignored Pojie’s instruction to excuse themselves from the newspaper’s office and continued harassing Vermaak.

Major-General (Advocate) Thembisile Patekile, the deputy provincial commissioner, said yesterday afternoon that the incident would be investigated.