‘Baboons’ remarks spark probe into George police officer’s election-day video

SAPS is investigating a police officer after a video allegedly showed him referring to voters in Rosedale, George, as “baboons”

A Western Cape police officer tasked with maintaining law and order during the elections is being investigated after allegedly describing voters in a George community as “baboons” and saying he would chase them back to their caves.

The remarks, captured in a video apparently filmed inside the Pacaltsdorp police station, have sparked outrage over the treatment of Rosedale residents by an officer assigned to safeguard the voting process. SAPS has appointed a senior officer to investigate the conduct of the member or members involved.

In the video, the officer is asked to explain his duties for the day.

“My duty for today is to maintain law and order there in Rosedale. There with the baboons. So that I can chase them back to their caves and the voting station can be orderly,” he says.

The officer is then asked about his fresh haircut and says he paid R300 for it.

Rosedale is a residential suburb in George with expanding affordable housing developments.

The video has drawn criticism from social media users, who have accused the officer of dehumanising residents and voters.

Southern Cape police spokesperson Warrant Officer Christopher Spies confirmed that the South African Police Service (SAPS) was aware of the footage.

“The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Western Cape has noted with serious concern a video circulating on social media depicting a police official making unbecoming remarks in the Community Service Centre (CSC) of the Pacaltsdorp police station in George, Garden Route District.

“The SAPS reiterates its zero-tolerance stance towards unprofessional and unbecoming conduct by its members and assures the public that appropriate consequence management will follow should wrongdoing be established,” Spies said.

He said a senior officer from the Garden Route District had been appointed to investigate the conduct of the member or members involved.

The officer seen in the video has not been identified, and police have not confirmed his identity.

The incident has renewed concerns about the use of the word “baboon” as a derogatory insult against black people in South Africa.

Previous incidents involving similar language have sparked public outrage and calls for accountability.

In 2016, former estate agent Penny Sparrow caused widespread condemnation after comparing black beachgoers in KwaZulu-Natal to monkeys in a Facebook post. The Equality Court found her comments amounted to hate speech and ordered her to pay a fine.

Other incidents have also prompted scrutiny, including a case in which the South African Human Rights Commission took a DA councillor to the Equality Court over a social media post comparing political protesters to monkeys and baboons.