DA welcomes the arrests of four police officers in connection with the death of Mthokozisi Ntumba

 

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng welcomes the arrests of four police officers from the Public Order Policing Unit by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate in connection with the death of Mthokozisi Ntumba.

Mthokozisi Ntumba was allegedly shot dead last week in a crossfire during a protest by a group of students from University of Wits over university fees.

He was allegedly shot when the police were dispersing the university students who were protesting in Braamfontein.

The four police officers who have been arrested are facing charges of murder, attempted murder and defeating the end of justice.

It is worrying that South Africans continue to suffer and die at the hands of the South African Police Service (SAPS), while severe consequences for these actions hardly ever follow.

The DA will be present in court for the first appearance of the suspects in solidarity with the family of the deceased and further call for the suspects to be denied bail and their firearm licenses to be suspended with immediate effect.

We further call on the SAPS to abide by their Code of Conduct and to respect the rights of South Africans while they are conducting their duties.

SAPS used to transport food for ANC in Ward 85 by-election

by Michele Clarke MPL – DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Community Safety

Members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) have been witnessed dropping off food for ANC party agents at the Ward 85 by-election in Johannesburg.

The SAPS vehicle, registration number BTK 140 B, handed out these parcels at the Gerefordemeerde Church voting station in Florida Park.

While crime spirals out of control in Gauteng, SAPS officers are being used as a delivery service rather than fighting crime.

Yesterday, it was alleged that Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane verbally threatened SAPS officers with physical abuse should they arrest her son who is wanted for abuse.

It is apparent that the ANC is abusing its power to use state resources to further their own ends.

I will question MEC Nkosi-Malobane about this and ensure that there are consequences for this blatant abuse of power.

The ANC cannot do what it pleases and must be held to account for its wrong-doing.

330 cases of vigilante killings remain unsolved in Gauteng

Growing frustration by members of the public who have disregarded the efficacy of the South African Police Service (SAPS) to respond to their needs has led to a rise in vigilantism across Gauteng, leaving in its wake shocking statistics of vigilante killings.

Since Gauteng Premier David Makhura assumed office in 2014 and appointed Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane as the MEC for Community Safety, the province has become South Africa’s murder capital.

In a written reply to a DA question regarding vigilante killings in the province, it has become clear that law and order has been replaced by a deadly trend of individuals taking the law into their own hands.

An over-burdened and inefficient SAPS, headed by a directionless MEC, will not be able to accomplish its Constitutional mandate and lawlessness will prevail.

While communities are frustrated by the lacklustre work of many SAPS members, in a democratic state, the rule of law must be allowed to take its’ course and those who are alleged to have committed crimes must be afforded the right to have their day in court.

The DA is committed to a complete overhaul of the SAPS to ensure that its properly capacitated, up-skilled and that specialised units are introduced to enable effective policing and implement efficient crime combating strategies.

MEC Nkosi-Malobane must account as to why justice remains to be served in the cases of 330 vigilante style deaths.

SAPS fail to combat drugs in Gauteng

Many communities across Gauteng are afflicted with the scourge of drugs, yet the South African Police Service (SAPS) are failing to tackle this growing problem.

Our communities have lost confidence in SAPS officers and have started to take the law into their own hands, raiding suspected drug dens and setting alight houses.

This week, Krugersdorp residents meted out vigilante justice against suspected drug dealers in response to poor service they receive from the police. Protests result in violence, injury, damage to state and private property and allow criminals to take advantage of the chaos to commit crime.

Unfortunately, SAPS only acts when the situation spirals out of control, and when they do, they are not trained well enough or equipped to deal with drug related issues.

This is evident from then episode in Vanderbijl Park last year where police officers were attacked by suspected drug dealers in a house suspected to be a drug den.

The establishment of specialised narcotics units, as well as specialised training must become a reality if the war on drugs is to be won.

The ANC-run provincial government has failed to uproot drugs in our communities and it is eating away at the fabric of our society. Gauteng is in desperate in need of a new beginning that will bring a real change and strategic ways of fighting crime such as drugs.

The DA calls on both Gauteng Department of Community Safety MEC, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane and Gauteng SAPS Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Deliwe de Lange to urgently intervene to ensure resident’s safety and to effectively fight drugs in the province.

Gauteng SAPS station officers without tactical training

 

The Gauteng South African Police Service (SAPS) station officers are not adequately trained to deal with violent crimes and on public order policing despite the fact that this province faces a high number of violent crimes and protests.

This has been revealed by the Vanderbijlpark SAPS Head to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Community Safety Portfolio Committee members.

The Committee visited the Vanderbijlpark police station following the recent attack and assault of police officers by a group of foreign nationals while the officers were raiding a suspected drug den.

In this case, Vanderbijlpark police officers had to call for the public order police in Springs for backup. Lack of human resources is also a challenge facing our police stations that need to be urgently addressed.

The fact that police officers were overwhelmed by these criminals does not instill confidence with the public with regards to their safety and security.

There should be plans to enhance training on public order policing for all our SAPS members from local police stations so that they can adequately defend themselves, maintain order and prevent crime.

Public order policing must be included as part of the curriculum in SAPS training.

The DA condemns the attack on our police officers as disgraceful; such incidents undermine the authority of the state.

We task both Gauteng Community Safety MEC, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane and Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Deliwe de Lange to liaise with their national counterpart, Minister of Police, Fikile Mbalula as a matter of urgency in ensuring that all Gauteng SAPS officers are trained on public order policing.

We therefore call upon the Gauteng Department of Community Safety and the SAPS Provincial Commissioner to ensure that the residents of this province are sufficiently protected.

SAPS Operation Needed To Stop Crime In Actonville

Actonville SAPS

The DA in Gauteng extends our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of Actonville residents who lost their lives during armed robberies in Actonville in the past week.

Last week two very prominent families from the community were victims of horrific incidents.

The Maghoo family was brutally attacked at their family business. Mr Maghoo was shot and killed while Ms Maghoo remains in critical condition after being shot seven times.

During the same week Nerrisa Pillay was shot at her workplace. The owner of the business was fatally wounded and Nerrisa is now fighting for her life.

I visited both families yesterday and it has become increasingly clear that crime in Actonville has spiralled completely out of control.

Communities Plagued by Crime

One of these incidents took place only a block away from the Actonville SAPS.

The area is plagued by drug trade and the local police station in Actonville is unable to deal with the high incidents of crime.

Many residents have told me that they live in constant fear of their lives.

I will write to the Community Safety MEC, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane and the Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt General D.S de Lange, to launch a large-scale police operation in the area.

The Department of Community Safety and SAPS must be pro-active in communities plagued by crime.

The DA wishes both Ms Maghoo and Ms Pillay a speedy recovery.

 

Media enquiries:

Michele Clarke MPL

DA Gauteng Constituency Head – Benoni

060 558 8299

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156 Day Absence Of Jeppe Police Station Commander

Brigadier Govandsamy Mariemuthoo

The Station Commander of Jeppe Police Station, Brigadier Govandsamy Mariemuthoo, has been absent from his job for 156 days following his appointment there on 17 February 2014.

This is revealed by Gauteng Community Safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane in an official reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

According to Nkosi-Malobane, he took 70 days vacation leave, 22 days sick leave, and 64 days Temporary Incapacity Leave for what is described as an “Alleged IOD : Injury Left Knee”.

This means that he was absent for more than 30% of the time, which is excessive and affects the functioning of the station which is in a high crime area.

Leave National Instruction

Nkosi-Malobane says that his period of absence was in accordance with the Leave National Instruction (leave and medical certificate were submitted). An Acting Station Commander is always appointed during his absence so “there has been no noted effect on the operation of the police station.”

I am outraged by his long absences and I disagree with MEC Nkosi-Malobane’s assessment that it has not had a negative effect on the station.

The area is plagued by drugs and problem buildings. Last year in November, local Ward Councillor Carlos Da Rocha and residents in Bez Valley did their own night patrols to stop rampant theft of water meters. Furthermore, house-breakings and murders have increased.

Labour Court Ruling

I suspect that Mariemuthoo is a serial malingerer. Previously he was the station commander of Benoni where he was investigated after taking 106 days sick leave, 39 days study leave, 122 days normal vacation and capped leave, as well as three days of family responsibility leave. He was temporarily removed from his post there and reinstated following a Labour Court ruling.

I fail to see why a knee injury should lead to 64 days leave, which is three months absence.

He is a poor example at this police station which suffers from a 14% general absenteeism rate.

I am going to campaign with local DA Councillors Carlos Da Rocha and Victor Penning to have him removed. We will mobilise the community for him to go as he does not seem to want to do the job he is supposed to do.

 

Media enquiries:

Jack Bloom MPL

DA Johannesburg East Constituency Head

082 333 4222

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DA Shocked By Murder of Orange Farm Police Official

Stradford Station

The DA is deeply saddened by yet another murder of a police official during a business robbery in Orange Farm.

According to reports, two armed men confronted two policemen who were carrying out patrol duties at the Stradford Station.

One official was shot and killed and the other was assaulted – it is understood that both police officials and a security guard were robbed of their firearms.

Police Officials Blatantly Targeted

It is of extreme concern that police officials are being so blatantly targeted by criminals, and the DA calls on anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward and provide any evidence they may have.

The SAPS is the thin blue line between ordinary people who go about their daily lives, and vicious criminal elements, and every law abiding citizen now has to take a stand and say: Enough is enough.

Every South African now has to unite and say that we have had enough of the general lawlessness in the country, we have had enough of criminals terrorising our communities, and we have had enough killings of our brave men and women in blue.

Stand Behind Our Police

The DA calls on every South African, from every walk of life, to report any criminality to the police. We call on every person who may have information about others who have committed these heinous crimes to report it to police, and bring those perpetrators to book.

We have to stand behind our police, and make it clear to criminals, that they will not be tolerated in our communities.

 

Media enquiries:

Michele Clarke MPL

DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Community Safety

060 558 8309

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1877 SAPS Vehicles Currently Out of Action in Gauteng

Police Vehicles Not Operational

In response to DA questions regarding the number of police vehicles in Gauteng, Community Safety MEC, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, has indicated that of 10 676, at least 1887 are currently undergoing repairs.

This means that around 20% of police vehicles in Gauteng are not operational, with another 1560 scheduled for upcoming maintenance.

In addition to this, at least 6044 vehicles have been scrapped over the past six financial years.

Maintenance Issues

The DA’s questions were submitted in response to recent reports which highlighted the dire state of Public Order Policing vehicles at the SAPS depot in Diepkloof, Johannesburg.

The MEC further indicates that these vehicles are serviced by three main garages and 12 auxiliary garages.

During oversight visits to police stations in the province, many SAPS members have raised the issue of maintenance; indicating that minor repairs to their vehicles can take weeks in the government garages, forcing them to turn to private garages just to keep their vehicles on the road.

1877 vehicles out of action means 1877 less opportunities to respond to incidents of crime or public disturbances.

Spiralling Crime Rates

In a province with spiralling crime rates it means that hundreds of our residents may not receive the protection that they deserve from the police.

I will be requesting that the MEC reviews current maintenance policies, which may include major improvements to the current service garages or even building new ones.

We cannot be in a situation where so many vehicles are out of action at one time.

The fight against crime will not wait while these vehicles are repaired and the people of this province should feel secure in the knowledge that there are always adequate resources to respond immediately to their safety needs.

 

Media Enquiries:

John Moodey MPL
DA Leader in Gauteng and the Legislature
082 960 3743

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No Police Station Planned for Cosmo City

High Levels of Crime

Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, has indicated in a written response to DA questions that there are no plans to build a police station for Cosmo City.

This area currently falls under the Honeydew policing precinct and is experiencing increasingly high levels of crime; particularly house and business robberies.

The Honeydew precinct remains one of the poorest performing in the province.

Less Than Adequate Service

As such, all communities which fall under its jurisdiction are receiving less than adequate service and response to incidents of crime.

The DA believes that building a police station in Cosmo City would help not only help the Honeydew Police station area but allow for better response to other areas of the cluster.

The MEC has suggested that the police station cannot be built because it is not currently in the SAPS National Strategic Plan 2014-2019; however, the DA believes that government’s response to safety must remain flexible and cognisant of ever-changing crime patterns and trends.

#SafetyNow

During a crime march in Roodepoort in March this year, I handed over a memorandum of demands, including a call for a police station for Cosmo City, to the cluster commander for the area. I will be following up on this memorandum with the SAPS.

The community of Cosmo City deserves to feel safe now, not in 2019 when the National Plan is reviewed.

 

Media Enquiries:

Kate Lorimer MPL
Gauteng Shadow MEC: Community Safety
083 642 2727

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