Tersia Pedro has told Eyewitness News a group of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members stormed their home after 8 pm on Thursday night.

CAPE TOWN – An Eerste River family claims they were assaulted and harassed by soldiers apparently conducting a lockdown operation.

Tersia Pedro has on Friday told Eyewitness News a group of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members stormed their home after 8 pm on Thursday night.

She said her husband and one of her daughters were badly assaulted.

Pedro said her children were watching movies in the lounge when they heard people screaming outside.

Through the window, they saw police officers and soldiers stop a neighbour in front of his house as he was returning from work.

Pedro claims other police officers then approached him from behind, beat him to the ground and started kicking him.

One of her daughters lingered at the window with her phone in hand and moments later, soldiers broke down the front door.

“They immediately pushed my husband to the couch and started kicking and hitting him while others ran into the bedroom where my children were lying and they asked for our phones.”

She said it was later established her husband had suffered a concussion.

Pedro added that her children were held at gunpoint, and her husband had a gun shoved into his mouth.

“This army lady kept on hitting Tammy, using words such as b#tch and f#ck. They asked if anyone in the house was a reporter or working for the media and we said no."

The traumatized woman says the beating finally stopped when city law enforcement officers entered the house.

When questioned by EWN, an SANDF spokesperson did not comment on the specifics of the allegations and simply stated the family must lay complaints with police and the military ombudsman.