A South African police constable is in hot water for showing up to work drunk and, worse, invading the pitch at Orlando Stadium after he was ordered to go home.
Watch: Drunk Soweto cop goes viral for invading Orlando Stadium pitch
Scores of ‘diski’ fans piled into Orlando Stadium on Saturday, 1 October 2022, for the MTN 8 semi-final encounter between Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.
What promised to be a fiery encounter ended in a whimper as both sides failed to place the ball in the back of the net. However, the event itself was not short of entertainment.
In fact, things took a sharp left when a man dressed in a police uniform invaded the pitch during an intermission and started dancing, much to the crowd’s amusement.
The bizarre sight of a police officer being dragged off the pitch raised eyebrows, and as soon as the clip surfaced on social media, it drew ire.
The backlash forced the police to issue a statement, providing more information on the erratic behaviour displayed by one of its members.
According to police, the unidentified officer is an assigned member of Soweto’s rapid railway unit who, on Saturday, “reported for duty… under the influence of liquor.”
“The commander immediately booked him off duty based on his condition. The member was also immediately disarmed and sent back home,” the statement read.
However, instead of adhering to the commander’s orders, the drunk constable detoured to Orlando Stadium, “after which he can be seen on the video clip, dancing on the soccer pitch.”
“The status and dignity of the SAPS badge and uniform must at all times be safeguarded and protected with pride, especially by police officers. Therefore, the management of the SAPS views the unbecoming behaviour of the said member in a very serious light. SAPS will not hesitate to act against its own when found to be on the wrong side of the law,” the statement continued.
For his transgressions, the police officer will undergo a disciplinary process. It remains unclear if the officer was suspended.